Federal
attorneys
are
facing
unprecedented
disruption
under
the
Trump
Administration.
In
these
dark
times,
it’s
never
been
more
important
to
understand
your
rights
and
know
that
there
are
options.
Below
are
8
tips
for
preserving
your
rights
as
an
employee,
understanding
student
loan
options.
Triaging
the
start
of
your
own
law
firm
and
establishing
an
online
brand.
For
a
recording
of
the
full
webinar
(which
took
place
February
19,
2025),
register
here.
Employment
Rights
-
Preserve
Evidence
–
Download
and
save
your
eOPF,
SF-50
forms,
performance
appraisals,
and
any
positive
supervisor
emails
in
case
you
need
to
challenge
employment
actions. -
Know
Your
Civil
Service
Protections
–
Most
permanent
GS
employees
have
due
process
rights,
meaning
you
must
be
notified
of
allegations
and
given
an
opportunity
to
respond
before
removal. -
Understand
Appeal
Options
–
Removals
can
be
appealed
to
the
Merit
Systems
Protection
Board
(MSPB),
where
the
agency
has
the
burden
of
proof. -
Be
Aware
of
Short
Deadlines
–
Federal
employees
only
have
30
days
to
appeal
adverse
actions
to
the
MSPB. -
Know
Your
Whistleblower
Rights
–
Reporting
potential
violations
of
law,
mismanagement,
or
gross
waste
of
funds
may
be
protected
speech. -
Consider
EEO
Complaints
–
Retaliation
claims
are
often
easier
to
prove
than
discrimination
claims
and
must
be
filed
within
45
days. -
Seek
Legal
Counsel
Quickly
–
Federal
employment
law
is
highly
specialized;
consult
an
attorney
with
federal
sector
expertise
as
soon
as
an
issue
arises. -
Monitor
Reduction
in
Force
(RIF)
Notices
–
RIFs
are
appealable,
and
agencies
often
make
technical
mistakes
that
can
be
challenged.
Student
Loan
Forgiveness
-
Check
Loan
Type
–
Only
Federal
Direct
Loans
qualify
for
Public
Service
Loan
Forgiveness
(PSLF).
If
you
have
FFEL
loans,
consolidate
them
into
Direct
Loans
(though
past
payments
won’t
count
retroactively). -
Use
Income-Based
Repayment
(IBR)
–
IBR
is
the
safest
long-term
option,
as
some
other
repayment
plans
have
been
affected
by
legal
challenges. -
Download
Loan
Records
–
Log
in
to
StudentAid.gov
and
download
your
PSLF
qualifying
payment
history
and
servicer
records. -
Maintain
Employment
with
a
Qualifying
Employer
–
You
must
be
employed
by
a
government
or
nonprofit
at
the
time
of
applying
for
forgiveness. -
Monitor
SAVE
Litigation
–
The
SAVE
plan
has
been
legally
challenged,
and
if
you’re
in
forbearance
under
SAVE,
consider
switching
to
IBR
to
continue
accumulating
qualifying
payments. -
Check
PSLF
Payment
Counter
–
A
new
tracker
on
StudentAid.gov
shows
how
many
payments
you’ve
made
toward
forgiveness. -
Use
Zero-Income
Certification
–
If
you’re
unemployed,
apply
for
IBR
and
report
zero
income
for
12
months
of
$0
payments
while
earning
PSLF
credit. -
Stay
Informed
on
Policy
Changes
–
Lawsuits
and
regulatory
changes
affect
student
loan
forgiveness
frequently—monitor
reliable
sources
like
the
Student
Loan
Borrower
Protection
Center.
Starting
a
Law
Firm
-
Recognize
Law
Firm
Ownership
as
an
Option
–
Even
if
you
lose
a
federal
job,
owning
a
law
firm
is
a
viable
career
path
that
provides
autonomy
and
financial
control. -
Leverage
Your
Government
Experience
–
Federal
attorneys
have
valuable
skills,
industry
knowledge,
and
agency
insights
that
can
set
them
apart
in
private
practice. -
Explore
Alternative
Business
Models
–
Aside
from
a
traditional
law
firm,
you
can
work
as
a
contract
attorney,
start
a
consulting
practice,
or
provide
specialized
training. -
Increase
Financial
Flexibility
Before
Leaving
Employment
–
Raise
credit
card
limits,
consider
a
home
equity
line
of
credit,
and
prepay
for
costs
like
additional
bar
admissions
or
bootcamps. -
Develop
a
Simple
Online
Presence
–
A
website,
LinkedIn
page,
and
an
easy
way
to
accept
electronic
payments
(e.g.,
LawPay)
are
essential
for
getting
started. -
Tell
Everyone
You’re
Open
for
Business
–
Announce
your
firm
to
colleagues,
on
LinkedIn,
and
in
professional
groups
to
generate
referrals. -
Use
AI
to
Scale
Quickly
–
AI
tools
can
help
with
drafting
legal
documents,
generating
marketing
content,
and
automating
administrative
tasks. -
Consider
Federal
Law
Practice
Areas
–
If
barred
in
a
limited
jurisdiction,
focus
on
federal
practice
areas
like
immigration,
bankruptcy,
or
trademark
law.
Branding
for
Lawyers
-
Define
Your
Personal
Brand
–
Identify
what
makes
you
unique
as
a
lawyer—your
expertise,
approach,
or
niche. -
Develop
a
LinkedIn
Strategy
–
Engage
with
posts,
publish
a
LinkedIn
newsletter,
and
comment
on
legal
topics
to
increase
visibility. -
Showcase
Thought
Leadership
–
Write
articles,
participate
in
panels,
and
create
video
or
podcast
content
to
establish
credibility. -
Repurpose
Content
Across
Platforms
–
A
long-form
article
can
be
broken
into
LinkedIn
posts,
social
media
snippets,
and
even
a
podcast
episode. -
Leverage
Online
Groups
–
LinkedIn
groups
are
underutilized
but
can
make
you
highly
visible
if
you
post
consistently. -
Grow
Your
Network
Intentionally
–
Connect
with
professionals
in
your
industry
and
adjacent
fields
to
expand
your
referral
base. -
Automate
Social
Media
Posting
–
Use
scheduling
tools
to
keep
your
content
circulating
without
constant
manual
effort. -
Create
an
Evergreen
Presence
–
Ensure
your
online
presence
(website,
social
profiles,
content)
reflects
your
professional
expertise
and
is
easily
discoverable.
Would
you
like
this
in
a
downloadable
Word
document?