Business Law Attorney (Attorney 2-3)

This position will be filled at either the Attorney 2 level or Attorney 3 level, depending on the skills of the selected candidate and the relevant experience.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has an exciting opportunity for an early-career attorney. In the Office of General Counsel how we work is just as important as what we work on. As part of a large legal organization responsible for all legal affairs at LANL, you will have the opportunity to work cooperatively within a multi-disciplined legal organization, and routinely team with other in-house attorneys on relevant strategic and substantive issues that have resulted or could potentially result in litigation.

Topics Within Our Practice Area Include

In this role you can expect to assist in the development of and administration of agreements to support LANL’s mission.Our practice focuses on preventive law by anticipating and working with clients to understand and avoid risks.

• Finance and Accounting (allowable costs, appropriated funds, banking and taxes);
• Acquisition Services (procurement, subcontracting, real estate and government property);
• Construction law;
• International transactions and trade controls;
• Export Control law;
• Conflict of Interest;
• Unique Agreements (IAs, MOUs, University Agreements and staff exchanges);
• Risk Management and Insurance;
• Communications law (photography and publishing)
• Physical Security; and
• National Security matters

Attorney 2 ($105,700-$176,400)

In this position you will provide constructive and supportive legal advice and counsel to LANL managers and employees, advising them regarding the legal aspects and consequences of proposed courses of action and identifying alternative courses of action that will avoid or minimize legal difficulties for LANL while also facilitating mission accomplishment.Responsibilities will include: drafting and reviewing legal documents, including contracts, leases, terms and conditions and other legal instruments, memoranda of law, legal opinions, proposed regulations, management directives and correspondence and support negotiations with outside entities and their attorneys, including subcontractors, claimants, litigants, and agencies of various federal, state, tribal and local government agencies.

Attorney 3 ($127,800-$215,000)

In addition to what was outlined at the lower level, at this level you can expect to perform the duties above independently and provide functional and operational direction to paralegals.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements

Practice of Law

You will need knowledge of the rules governing the practice of law and the ability to apply that knowledge in one or more of the areas of practice listed above.

Communication & Team Work

We are looking for someone with the ability to interact with all levels of staff and management, establishing productive working relationships, and providing constructive advice.You will also need to be able to work collaboratively in a team environment, and be ready to make positive contributions to our excellent team.

Problem Solving

You will need to be to be able to research complex topics, including legal research. You must also be able to think critically and apply analytical skills to provide solutions to business law problems.

Software

You will need the ability to work with legal research tools (e.g., Westlaw, Lexus), with legal matter management and document systems such as eCounsel and M-Files, and with litigation databases (e.g., Relativity), and collaboration platforms (e.g., Teams, WebEx, GoogleDrive).

Additional Job Requirements For Attorney 3

In addition to the requirements outlined above, qualification at the higher level requires:

Substantial (7+ years) legal work experience in transactional legal areas (contracts, acquisitions, and procurements). Ideal candidate will have some work experience as a government contracts attorney.

Education/Experience at lower level: Position requires a Juris Doctorate Degree from an ABA accredited law school, being an active member of a bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction), and at least 3 years of legal experience after passing the bar exam and being admitted to practice.

Education/Experience at higher level: Position requires a Juris Doctorate Degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school and be an active member of a bar in good standing (any U.S. jurisdiction), and 7 years of legal experience after passing the Bar and being admitted to practice.

Desired Qualifications

Federal

It would be a plus if you had experience with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and construction contracting at Federal Installations. It would ge great if you were familiar with Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) as well as Federal Management and Operating Prime Contracts.

Export Control

It would be great it you had knowledge of Export Control Law.

Unique Agreements

It would be nice if you had knowledge of Unique Agreements (IAs, MOUs, University Agreements and staff exchanges).

Location: This position will be located in Los Alamos, NM with the potential for a hybrid work arrangement (partially onsite/partially offsite) from a location within 2 hours ground commute of this location. Reporting onsite will be periodically required. Hybrid is at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.

COVID Vaccine

The COVID vaccine is mandatory for all Laboratory employees, on-site contractors, and on-site subcontractors unless granted an accommodation under applicable state or federal law. This requirement will apply to those working on-site, those teleworking, and all new hires.

Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Note to Applicants: A cover letter is required that demonstrates how candidate meets each of the minimum job requirements, discusses experience in desired skills, and identifies contributions candidate could make to the Office of General Counsel together with wri ti ng samples that demonstrate the ability to perform legal research and written advocacy with applica ti on materials.

Where You Will Work

Our Generous Benefits Package Includes

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security.

• PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
• Dental and vision insurance
• Free basic life and disability insurance
• Paid childbirth and parental leave
• Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
• Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
• Flexible schedules and time off (paid sick, vacation, and holidays)
• Onsite gyms and wellness programs
• Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 – Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance which requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon position, additional authorization to access nuclear weapons information may be required that may or may not be available to dual citizens depending upon the circumstances.

• Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing.

Regular position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.

Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or preference, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to [email protected] or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.

Employment Status Full Time

Regular

IRC111647