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Post by hopefulop on May 25, 2018 15:38:33 GMT -5
anyone know whether you can continue to do legal work (other than federal ie other than Social Security for example) and work as an attorney advisor? I understand time may prevent you from doing much but is it prohibited? thanks
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Post by phoenixrisingALJ on May 25, 2018 16:10:19 GMT -5
I know pro bono work is encouraged. I would comment that if you continue to do any legal work you should also make sure you have malpractice insurance and that is pricey.
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Post by hopefulop on May 26, 2018 13:33:35 GMT -5
I know pro bono work is encouraged. I would comment that if you continue to do any legal work you should also make sure you have malpractice insurance and that is pricey. Good point
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Post by deepredbells on May 28, 2018 22:23:46 GMT -5
I'm planning to apply to an AUSA position. If anybody has any advice, I'm all ears.
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Post by SPN Lifer on May 28, 2018 23:08:16 GMT -5
Check the U.S. District Court local rules for any in-state bar admission requirements.
If required, obviously, peruse that state’s bar admission and reciprocity rules.
Many states that allow bar-exam waivers for current attorneys do so only if the jurisdiction of prior admission offers the same privilege to that state’s members.
They almost always look at the state of first admission.
Some states, such as HI, CA, NV, FL, etc., make everyone take an exam.
So if you are still in law school, or not admitted anywhere yet, I would recommend seeking initial admission to somewhere with maximum reciprocity, such as DC -- which has low dues and no CLE requirement.
Of course, if you are applying to a USAO in your home state of current admission, this advice is inapplicable to you now. But keep it in mind if looking elsewhere.
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Post by deepredbells on May 28, 2018 23:22:20 GMT -5
Thanks for the information - that is interesting. This AUSA position is in the state in which I am already licensed, and in looking at the District Court's local rules, I see no issue in being admitted. Nonetheless, as the DOJ has posted many AUSA positions nationally, this is sure to be helpful information for some.
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Post by goldendoodles on May 29, 2018 7:30:10 GMT -5
I was offered an AA position within SSA. The salary is too low. I attempted to negotiate the salary and start date and was simply told if I was declining the offer then to hit decline in the offer. Anyone know the best way to attempt to negotiate an offer.
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Post by ARobeByAnyOtherName on May 29, 2018 8:23:01 GMT -5
I was offered an AA position within SSA. The salary is too low. I attempted to negotiate the salary and start date and was simply told if I was declining the offer then to hit decline in the offer. Anyone know the best way to attempt to negotiate an offer. I don’t have advice on negotiation; I was told a “hard no” on that front (10+ years ago, not OHO). But, though I took an initial pay cut when moving from private to federal practice, the grade/step system does advance quickly. I was back to my previous salary within a couple of years, and soon exceeded what I would have been able to make had I stayed at the firm. It was a tough first year, but the pros outweighed the cons.
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Post by Judge McJudgeypants on May 29, 2018 9:04:24 GMT -5
I was offered an AA position within SSA. The salary is too low. I attempted to negotiate the salary and start date and was simply told if I was declining the offer then to hit decline in the offer. Anyone know the best way to attempt to negotiate an offer. Based on information in these boards, I believe that if you are an outsider entering into federal service, there is no salary negotiating. It’s a take-it-or-leave-it offer at the lowest step of whatever grade your years of practice qualify you for. It’s the reason I can’t apply for an AA, because even the highest salary at the highest grade for an AA is less than what I make now. Since I am not able to take the pay cut in this stage of life (middle aged with kids), I know it would be a waste of everyone’s time to apply.
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Post by phoenixrisingALJ on May 29, 2018 9:44:19 GMT -5
I was offered an AA position within SSA. The salary is too low. I attempted to negotiate the salary and start date and was simply told if I was declining the offer then to hit decline in the offer. Anyone know the best way to attempt to negotiate an offer. Based on information in these boards, I believe that if you are an outsider entering into federal service, there is no salary negotiating. It’s a take-it-or-leave-it offer at the lowest step of whatever grade your years of practice qualify you for. It’s the reason I can’t apply for an AA, because even the highest salary at the highest grade for an AA is less than what I make now. Since I am not able to take the pay cut in this stage of life (middle aged with kids), I know it would be a waste of everyone’s time to apply. Based upon reports here - SSA does not negotiate with outside non feds. If you are an existing Fed - you can use your current grade/step to get a comparable pay scale within SSA - of course sticking to the GS scale offered. That means if you are a GS 13 step 3 in HUD and the DW slot is a GS 11 - you can negotiate for a higher step on the GS 11 scale to match your existing salary. However - this is not the same with all agencies. I started with an Agency at a higher step than the initial offer and I was able to get that after showing them step 1 salary did not match my current salary - they ended up bumping me to a step 4. Apparently this is not an across the board agency approach. I do know they had to jump through hoops to get me those additional steps with additional paperwork. If an agency finds they have more than sufficient applicants for slots - they just will not bother to negotiate with you. They can just move down the list.
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Post by pinetree on May 29, 2018 10:12:52 GMT -5
OMHA has posted additional AA positions for the current field offices. Limited to the first 100 applicants per location.
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Post by hopefulop on May 29, 2018 11:11:14 GMT -5
So will the offers for the AA position come via email?
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Post by foghorn on May 29, 2018 11:43:55 GMT -5
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Post by SPN Lifer on May 29, 2018 12:53:35 GMT -5
If you are an existing Fed - you can use your current grade/step to get a comparable pay scale within SSA - of course sticking to the GS scale offered. That means if you are a GS 13 step 3 in HUD and the DW slot is a GS 11 - you can negotiate for a higher step on the GS 11 scale to match your existing salary. However - this is not the same with all agencies. I started with an Agency at a higher step than the initial offer and I was able to get that after showing them step 1 salary did not match my current salary - they ended up bumping me to a step 4. Apparently this is not an across the board agency approach. I do know they had to jump through hoops to get me those additional steps with additional paperwork. If you're already a 13/1, you would need about a 12/7 to match your pay. 11/10 is a major pay cut from 13/3. Basically, if you are a 13 (much less a 14), you're going to take a serious pay cut to become an AA for SSA. . . . I recently had to decline a move from my agency to an AA position at SSA because of this. The highest they would start me was 12/1. Even 12/10 would not have been acceptable, and they don't offer pay retention. Pay retention is limited by law to involuntary transfers. Since the GS-12/10 pay was unacceptable to you, I presume you did not even try sending in your SF-50 showing a higher salary than that? I believe there is strong regulatory authority, discussed in previous posts or threads, for being paid at the next step above one's current or former federal salary, limited to the grade in which the position is offered and accepted. [Stricken pending identification of said authority.] Feds and ex-feds applying to be a Decision Writer should have their highest-pay Standard Form 50 ready to send with the acceptance of their offers.
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Post by aljwishhope on May 30, 2018 3:12:05 GMT -5
This salary matching works if you are a former fed too. For example, in my early career, I was a fed then worked in private sector for a year or so and then returned to fed (at OHO for a couple years). When I was hired by OHO, they matched my previous higher than entry level fed salary. (They ignored my higher private sector salary).
It was easier to take a pay cut when It only meant being an 11 higher step a little longer and waiting to be a 12.
Because I have my high 3 at 14 and I have managed my finances to accommodate a lower salary, I could accept a 12. However, I must accept too that I may never again reach 14 step 8 without a radical reform of the system. Further, in accepting a fed job these days, one cannot rely on step increases or grade increases or overtime. The potential is too great for pay freezes. Also, the entry costs can be high. None of these jobs pay relocation.
Just saying go into it realistically.
I do wish they would post Arlington VA jobs. Every place but here so far!
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Post by SPN Lifer on May 31, 2018 16:43:31 GMT -5
You cannot always believe what you receive from USAJOBS!
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Post by phoenixrisingALJ on May 31, 2018 17:00:25 GMT -5
I accepted a formal offer and then got something from USA JOBS informing me that I did not get the position. Talk about being on roller coaster. You likely can rely on the offer as that is from the agency. However I certainly would want to confirm that with them and they should be able to get the USA Jobs automatic notification rescinded.
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Ranse
Full Member
Posts: 89
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Post by Ranse on May 31, 2018 17:00:57 GMT -5
Got an HHS OGC rejection 3 days after applying. My head is still spinning. Between a rock and a hard placed, too old, too much experience, overqualified or under qualified- who knows! 20 years of government experience and it is as if I had worked at McDonald!s. Keep at it. I'm old and I just got a tentative offer as an AA. I looked on linked in and it seems most of the decision writers have been out of law school for ten years or less. I don't have any data, but I think this is accurate. The experience level of new hires varies somewhat depending on the office location and the cost of living in that location. Many offices only interview local candidates and the pay / benefits don't always attract experienced attorneys. That being said, WELCOME TO OHO (tentatively)!
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Post by qwk01 on Jun 1, 2018 13:05:19 GMT -5
I've been stalking my local Federal Public Defenders office and after 4 years they finally have openings. Anyone have any information on Assistant Federal Public Defenders pay? I've found where they are paid from JSP pay scale (at least that's what the US Courts website says) but I can't find anything on where they start, promotions, etc. Most job postings state "Starting salary commensurate with experience" or " commensurate with that of an assistant U.S. attorney with similar qualifications and experience". Is this code for there are no rules and they do what they want?
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Post by burghbum on Jun 1, 2018 13:48:12 GMT -5
I've been stalking my local Federal Public Defenders office and after 4 years they finally have openings. Anyone have any information on Assistant Federal Public Defenders pay? I've found where they are paid from JSP pay scale (at least that's what the US Courts website says) but I can't find anything on where they start, promotions, etc. Most job postings state "Starting salary commensurate with experience" or " commensurate with that of an assistant U.S. attorney with similar qualifications and experience". Is this code for there are no rules and they do what they want? Anecdotal evidence from those that I know that were hired on by the FPD: they will generally examine where you would fall on the AD scale utilized by DOJ, and then they will see where that drops you in the JSP scale and utilize that. However, because the AD scale provides a good bit of discretion, it ends up giving the FPD a chunk of discretion as well.
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