About This Position
This vacancy is for a General Attorney (Public Notice Flyer) in the Office of the Secretary (OGC), Deputy General Counsel for Administration (DGCA) within the Department of Commerce.
Qualifications
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.
Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations e.g., professional; philanthropic, religious; spiritual; community, student, social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies; knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Basic requirement for all grade levels: You must be a graduate with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school; AND You must have bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands. Minimum Requirements: The career ladder for attorney positions in OGC is generally GS-11 to GS-15.
The minimum qualifications for hiring at each grade level (or equivalent) are as follows: GS-11: J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. (The requirement that an applicant possess a J.D. may be waived if his or her bar membership is in a state that allows individuals to "read for the law" rather than pursue a formal academic degree). GS-12: GS-11 qualifications plus one-year legal experience, or additional relevant experience that distinguishes an entry-level attorney from the GS-11.
This may include: a superior academic record; specific course work or an internship in the relevant legal area; another graduate or doctoral degree. Individuals hired into Legal Intern positions at the GS-11 may be reassigned to GS-12 attorney positions upon admission to the bar, irrespective of time-in-grade. GS-13: Two years of legal experience or relevant professional experience (legal or non-legal).
Relevant non-legal professional experience could include, for example, experience as an Employee Relations Specialist when applying for an Employment Law position. Likewise, experience in a non-attorney position within the Department, with resulting insight into the client's mission, could warrant a higher grade, as could non-legal experience in regulated industry. When relying on non-legal professional experience, hiring managers must articulate in writing how the cited experience enhances the applicant's skills to warrant the higher grade.
GS-14: Typically requires a minimum of three years of relevant legal experience. On the rare occasion, two years of relevant legal experience may suffice, as determined by the General Counsel or his or her designee. GS-15: Typically requires a minimum of four years of relevant legal experience.
On the rare occasion, three years of relevant legal experience may suffice, as determined by the General Counsel or his or her designee. *Applicants may be hired at any of the grades shown in this announcement, commensurate with the candidate's experience and qualifications. You are encouraged to identify the grade level(s) or salary for which you wish to be considered.
Major Duties
The Office of the General Counsel ("OGC") is seeking highly qualified candidates to fill numerous vacancies, across multiple practice areas, within the Office of the Deputy General Counsel for Administration ("DGCA"): Employment Litigation and Information (ELI) is responsible for all litigation brought by or against the Department and oversees matters involving information law. The office is comprised of three divisions: the Employment and Labor Law Division, the General Litigation Division, and the Information Law Division. Ethics Law and Program (ELP) is accountable for administration of Commerce's government ethics program.
This encompasses all bureaus and offices. The primary mission is to prevent conflicts of interest arising for Commerce personnel, through rigorous training, financial disclosure reviews, and advice and counsel activities. ELP supports departmental risk mitigation and provides support related to guidance on the Hatch Act.
Common guidance areas include financial and personal conflicts of interest, outside activities, gifts, and post-employment restrictions. Legislation and Regulation (L&R) manages the Department's legislative and regulatory legal functions. L&R oversees the Department's legislative review process, reviews and clears rulemaking proposals prepared by bureaus and offices, and serves as the Department's liaison with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on legislative and regulatory matters.
The office consists of the Legislative Division and the Regulatory Division. The Office of Accountability (OA) is responsible for ensuring that the Department maintains the highest standards of performance and conduct across its 40,000+ person workforce. OA attorneys investigate instances of serious misconduct and poor performance and initiate appropriate corrective action.
OA attorneys work on high-profile, sensitive personnel matters that threaten the Department's mission. Transactions and Program Management's (TPM) three divisions provide legal services and guidance to the Department's senior leadership and bureau program offices regarding procurement, real property, financial assistance, interagency, and other special agreement transactions with outside parties and represents the Department in any litigation arising from procurement and real property matters. The office also provides legal advice on areas of environmental compliance and regulation, and general administrative law and agency operations not covered by other components of OGC, including fiscal law, trademark and copyright law, directives management and delegations of authority, personal property law, and travel and transportation law, among other issues.
This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other General Attorney (Public Notice Flyer) GS-0905-11/12/13/14/15, FPL GS-15 positions within the Office of the Secretary in the same geographical location with the same qualifications and specialized experience.
Conditions of Employment
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs. A trial period will be required.
Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/) If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. Drug Test Required: No License required: No Pre-employment physical required: No Bargaining Unit Position: No Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE form 450): No Permanent Change of Duty Station (PCS) Expense: Will not be paid
Education
See Qualifications Above.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Applicants will be rated based on their education, experience, demonstrated legal research and writing abilities, and performance during the interview process. Basis for evaluation: If eligible and meeting basic qualifications, your application package will be evaluated in conjunction with your resume and supporting documents for the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of this position: Knowledge of research strategies and techniques sufficient to research the most complex legal issues. The issues researched are almost always factually complex and are in areas of the law which are often in a continual state of evolution, thus requiring atypical and innovative research strategies.
Ability to communicate effectively with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics in writing clearly, concisely, and persuasively, with particular emphasis on the ability to analyze and explain complex legal issues. Ability to communicate effectively orally with diverse clients and constituencies on varied and complex topics and independently present legal conclusions to adjudicatory authorities. Ability to maintain effective working and reporting relationships with professional peers, support staff, and management officials.
Ability to organize work effectively to meet established deadlines and priorities related to legal cases and matters. Please be advised that Department of Commerce Attorney positions are in the Excepted Service. As such, these positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications stated herein. We will perform an initial review of applications to determine basic eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position, and numeric scores will not be assigned. There are no numerical rating systems through which to apply veterans' preference; however, the Office of the General Counsel favorably considers veterans preference eligibility in hiring.
There are no numerical rating systems through which to apply veterans preference; however, the Office of the General Counsel favorably considers veterans preference eligibility in hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume. If selected, additional information may be required.
Additional Information
This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service.
How to Apply
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING RESUMES AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION Submit the required documents via email to [email protected] with the subject line formatted as follows: General Attorney - DGCA GS-(Insert grade level that you are applying for, e.g., 11/12/13/14/15), Applicant's last name, first initial. *This Job Opportunity Announcement may be used to fill other General Attorney GS-0905- 11/12/13/14/15 FPL-15 positions within the Office of the Secretary, in the same geographical location, with the same qualifications and specialized experience. Recent law school graduates are also encouraged to apply. Recent graduates may be appointed as a Law Clerk (GS-0904) and, upon successfully passing the bar examination, may be converted to a General Attorney position.
Required Documents
A complete application consists of the following: Cover letter. Address demonstrated interests and qualifications as it relates to the position. Resume showing relevant experience.
Your resume must not be more than 2 pages and should list your educational and work experience, including the dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and provide the hours per week, if less than
- For work in the Federal Service, please include the pay plan and grade level for the position(s). Copy of law school transcript. (Unofficial copy is sufficient, but official copy must be submitted before appointment).
You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient. Certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing. Prior to receiving an offer, you will be asked to provide a certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing. *Failure to provide documents, if selected, may result in lost consideration.
Please DO NOT put your SSN on pages within your application package. Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (PL 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.