General Attorney (Tax)-Senior Counsel - Income Tax and Accounting

About the role

With nearly 1,700 attorneys, IRS Chief Counsel is the largest tax law firm nationwide. Our attorneys are among top tax law practitioners and some of the very best legal minds found anywhere. Together with the IRS, we serve the public by applying the tax code with fairness and integrity.

After pausing hiring in 2025, we now seek new law graduates and experienced attorneys to join us. Click to learn more: IRS Office of Chief Counsel Careers Site Meet Our People Learn about our Legal Divisions

What you will do

• The Senior Counsel serves as a legal expert on matters under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Associate Chief Counsel (Income Tax and Accounting) (ITA), acting as consultant to the Branch Chief, the Deputy Associate Chief Counsel, or the Associate Chief Counsel.
• ITA provides legal advice and litigation support services on tax matters involving recognition and timing of income and deductions of individuals and corporations, sales and exchanges, capital gains and losses, accounting methods and periods, installment sales, long-term contracts, inventories and alternative minimum tax to the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of Chief Counsel, the Department of the Treasury, and to other government agencies and the public.
• As such, the Senior Counsel must perform a variety of duties that may involve case or project work in which the Senior Counsel is responsible for personally carrying out.
• This includes complex research, advisory, analysis, and review functions to handle and resolve specific cases or complicated issues.
• These cases and issues can require decision-making and review/signatory responsibility for final products or outcomes as delegated by the manager; and for program responsibilities in which the Senior Counsel is responsible for assisting in efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of legal practices and services provided by ITA.
• As a General Attorney (Tax)-Senior Counsel - Income Tax and Accounting, you will: Serve as Senior Counsel with responsibility for personally handling, and performing technical review of, some of the office's most complex, important, or novel case/project assignments, particularly those with broad, or potentially controversial ramifications.
• Provide expert advice and litigation support services on the most complicated tax matters involving recognition and timing of income and deductions of individuals and corporations, sales and exchanges, capital gains and losses, accounting methods and periods, installment sales, long-term contracts, inventories and alternative minimum tax to the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of Chief Counsel, the Department of the Treasury, and to other government agencies and the public.
• Serve as team leader on large-scale ITA guidance and publication projects that may include representatives from other Counsel Divisions or IRS offices.
• Direct and coordinate work of other team members, and oversee all related administrative and logistical matters.
• In connection with the review of complex private letter rulings, change in accounting methods, accounting periods, technical advice memorandums, closing agreements, published guidance (revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices, announcements and regulations), pleadings, defense letters, and Chief Counsel Advice memoranda, develop procedural guidelines to assist ITA attorneys in the development of office products and issuances.
• Research complex issues and trends affecting ITA legal services and determine likely legal ramifications on ITA programs.
• Ensure that the legal or administrative consequences of potential actions to handle these issues are fully considered, and write decision papers to determine Counsel's position on these matters.
• Decision papers can serve as future guidelines in the handling of these legal issues.
• Serve as a primary reviewer on proposed legislation with potential impact on ITA programs, and prepare final comments/recommendations on behalf of the office.
• Identify the need for and develop and draft new procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation to ensure that policies are consistent with the intent of the law and are administratively sound and economical in operation and to enable ITA to effectively meet its mission.
• This is not an all-inclusive list.

Education

For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

How you will be evaluated

Applicants will be considered based on their overall background as it relates to the position to be filled. Interviews may be held at the option of the office. All application materials and interviews, if conducted, will be used in the final evaluation and selection process.

Referral: All candidates will be listed in alphabetical order. If you are among the top qualified candidates, you may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview, such as travel to and from the interview site.

Documents you must provide

• A complete application includes items described below.
• Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).
• RESUME - All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing.
• Please limit your resume to two-pages.
• Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration.Resumes MUST contain specific information that can be used to make a qualification determination, including employment beginning and ending dates for each position (ex.
• MM/YY - MM/YY), whether employment is Full-time or Part-time, or average number of hours worked per week, and position titles.
• If the position is/was in the Federal government, you will need to detail the position series and grade level.
• The resume should detail relevant experience and education, as well as support the required specialized experience.
• Note: Resume must be presented in a font size and font style that is legible, no less than 10-point size with no less than half an inch margin all around.
• SF-50 NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION: Submit a copy of your latest SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your tenure, grade and step, and type of position occupied (i.e., Excepted or Competitive); or similar Notification of Personnel Action documentation.
• ADDITIONAL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: Applicants are required to submit the following supporting documentation if applicable: An unofficial or official transcript(s) for your J.D. degree or LL.M. degree (an official transcript is required if you are selected) Transcripts must detail degree awarded/conferred including date.
• Proof of Active Bar Admission A copy of your most recent, signed, completed annual performance appraisal which includes the final rating.
• If it is not dated within the last 12 months or if you have not received a performance appraisal, please explain why in your application A memorandum of interest summarizing your interest in the position A Supervisory Report regarding your suitability for the position as completed by your current supervisor.
• You are responsible for notifying your supervisor that this report must be received no later than five workdays after the closing date of this announcement.
• Education Documentation: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent.
• An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
• See "Education" for more details.
• Certificate of Good Standing: A certified original copy of your certificate of good standing from your State Bar will be required if you are selected.

What to expect next

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (***), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: ***

Additional information

We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Relocation expenses are not authorized. This is a non-bargaining unit position.

We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules. Conditions of Employment Continued: May be subject to a 1-year trial period. All newly appointed employees to the excepted service are subject to a trial period.

During this time, your performance, conduct, and suitability for continued employment will be evaluated. You will not automatically convert to permanent status at the end of the trial period. Your supervisor must affirmatively determine that continued employment is in the best interest of the Federal service.

If no certification is made before the trial period ends, your appointment will be terminated. You are encouraged to actively engage with your supervisor, seek feedback, and understand role expectations. Additional guidance and support will be provided during onboarding.

Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.

Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel. File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.

Undergo an income tax verification. The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.

This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into "Continuous Vetting." Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one's employment with Treasury.

The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI's Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time. There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations.

Please read and retain these documents: Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back, FD-258 Privacy Act Statement - FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)"