UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
Looking for a great legal career?
Consider a position as in-house counsel for one of the largest
public service organizations in the world.
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The United States Postal Service
Law Department
Over 220 attorneys make up the Postal Service’s in-house “law
firm,” providing a professional corps of postal managers with the specialized
legal services they need to operate the largest postal system in the world. Led
by a General Counsel appointed by the Postmaster General, the Law Department is
composed of a corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C., and 10 law offices
strategically placed around the country. These field offices, which together
make up two-thirds of the Law Department’s complement, are located in: Chicago;
Dallas; Memphis/Atlanta; New York City; Philadelphia; St. Louis; Salt Lake
City/Denver; San Francisco; Washington, D.C. (covering Capital Metro
operations); and Windsor, CT.
A Challenging — and Rewarding — Practice
The Law Department’s practice is as varied as the operations of
the Postal Service itself, and reflects its unique status as the universal
gateway to the household. Legal support of these activities includes
traditional practice areas such as administrative law, consumer protection,
ethics, legislation, contracts, and real estate. Additionally, in support of an
organization with almost 800,000 career employees, we maintain a strong labor
and employee relations practice. And, in support of initiatives and challenges
of the 21st century, essential legal services are provided relating to
commercial litigation, marketing, intellectual property, finance, international
law, economic regulation, and environmental requirements.
Attorneys enjoy the satisfaction of assisting a challenging
public service client, a varied practice, and a highly professional
environment.
The Postal Service as a Client
While tracing its institutional roots to July 1775 when the
Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster
General, today’s Postal Service was established by the Postal Reorganization
Act of 1970. As an “independent establishment of the executive branch of the
Government of the United States,” the Postal Service is without a doubt an
important government service. But it is a government entity that was given both
the mandate and the authority to operate as a business.
With its historic trust to “bind the Nation together,” the
Postal Service is a fast-paced participant in the communications market. Its
revenues exceed $65 billion and it delivers over 200 billion pieces of mail to
over 137 million household and business addresses. This challenge is
successfully met with the support of almost 800,000 career employees, a
transport and delivery fleet of 200,000 vehicles, and over 38,000 retail
outlets located in communities throughout the United States.
The legal needs of an operation of this size and scope are many
— and complex. In providing postal managers with the legal services they need,
our attorneys have the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience and to
assume substantial responsibility early in their careers. Perhaps nowhere else
can a new attorney handle such a variety of legal problems and issues on such a
grand scale.
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“Our attorneys have the opportunity to gain valuable practical
experience.”
The Honor Attorney Program
Attorneys with fewer than two years of experience are eligible
for the Law Department’s Honor Attorney Program. This unique program provides
mentoring and scheduled semiannual evaluations and salary raises. While in the
Honor Attorney program, new recruits gain experience in a particular practice
area. At Headquarters, the opportunity for exposure to other practice areas is
available through workgroups and special assignments. At the end of the
two-year period, attorneys are converted into the Attorney Compensation
Schedule, in which they receive annual reviews and merit increases.
The Summer Clerkship Program
The Law Department routinely hires a number of students who have
completed two years of law school to serve as legal interns at our Headquarters
and field offices during the summer months. Each clerk is usually assigned to
one office in accordance with his or her preference and the Law Department’s
requirements. The work of summer clerks generally does not differ significantly
from that of our newer attorneys. In most instances, clerks work closely with
attorneys on particular projects and litigation, and are given substantial
responsibility.
Salary and Benefits
Attorneys in the Law Department are paid in accordance with the
Attorney Compensation Schedule, a system tailored by the Postal Service to the
particular needs of the Department and its attorneys. Postal attorneys enjoy a
generous benefits package as well. New employees participate in the Federal
Employees Retirement System, which includes the opportunity to make
contributions (partially matched by the Postal Service) to retirement
investment accounts. In addition, they may participate in one of the many group
health plans to which the Postal Service pays a significant portion of the
insurance premium, and a flexible spending plan that allows them to use pre-tax
dollars to pay for dependent care and unreimbursed health care expenditures.
They are also provided with basic life insurance at no cost, and with generous
vacation, sick, and holiday leave.
Hiring Needs
The Law Department fills available positions in one of two ways,
depending on particular needs and circumstances: with experienced attorneys
hired on a lateral basis or with recent law school graduates through the Honor
Attorney Program. Advertisements for lateral positions are placed in newspapers
and legal periodicals. In addition, the Law Department hires second-year
students for each of its Headquarters and field offices every year.
Information
Need more information about the Law Department and the Postal
Service?
Check out our web site at www.usps.com/lawdept/. Detailed
recruiting materials can be accessed on this website.
We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the diversity of our
high-profile practice. If you would like to be considered for a position with
the Law Department, please send a letter of interest and resume to:
Manager, Business Services
United States Postal Service
Law Department
475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, D.C. 20260-1149
THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING EQUAL EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITY AND TO REAPING THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A WORK FORCE THAT IS BOTH
HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE.