Is government employment right for you?

Government employment provides a lawyer with the opportunity to "make the job what you want," said Michael Desmond, tax legislative counsel at the Department of Treasury, in response to a question about differences in working for the government and working in a law firm, especially a large one. For those who want to grab the horns and want to run with it, you can obtain a lot more experience in the government, he said.

Desmond was speaking at a session on "Government Employment: To Serve Or Not to Serve," one of many programs offered at the ABA Section of Taxation's meeting in Washington, D.C., May 4 – 6. The panel included lawyers who are employed with the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Justice and on Capitol Hill.

One example of the wide breadth of opportunity, as explained by Fred Schindler, acting director of collection policy with Small Business/Self-Employed, IRS, is that an employee has the chance to become a "subject matter expert" who can shepherd a project through from beginning to end. There is opportunity, too, in situations where there is immediacy and the chance to make a difference in a critical situation on the national level. Kashi Way, legislation counsel with the non-partisan Committee on Taxation, described how, after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast on a Friday, committee staff were caucusing on Sunday on how the tax code could be used to help the storm's victims.

When asked about the downside of working for government, several panelists spoke to the bureaucracy that is part of any large organization, as opposed to something that was government-specific. Given the "number of hands involved," said Tamara Ashford, assistant to the commissioner, IRS, "what's surprising is the number of regulations and guidance we can get published."

And even though – contrary to much public perception – there are plenty of long hours when working for the government, Schindler said that one of the reasons he appreciates his current job is that he has some flexibility in his work schedule. "It's a quality of life issue," he said, noting his ability to work from home and have some adjusted working hours. When asked whether they planned to either go to, or return to, a law office, the panelists commented that they were either unsure or that returning to private practice was unlikely.

Maryland lawyer Robb A. Longman, of Joseph Greenwald & Laake, moderated the session. Audio of the entire program is available online.

In addition to opportunities in the federal government in Washington, government employment opportunities include regional federal offices as well as state and local government.

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