Paralegal Specialist

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission seeks a Paralegal Specialist to assist attorneys, financial analysts, and examiners. The role focuses on providing comprehensive regulatory support, drafting orders and letters, and publishing guidance to clarify regulatory obligations.

Responsibilities include organizing examination files, performing legal research, and coordinating responses across the division to ensure timely and accurate regulatory actions.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive legal support by organizing examination and legal files, compiling records, and coordinating document production.
• Conduct foundational legal research using databases to support statutes, case law, and agency guidance.
• Assist with FOIA and Privacy Act requests, including redaction and drafting responses under attorney supervision.
• Collaborate with program offices and legal staff to gather information and improve regulatory processes.

Skills

Legal research

Regulatory compliance

Document management

FOIA processing

Tools

Westlaw

Lexis

Job description

The Division consists of three branches: the Registration and Compliance Branch, the Financial Requirements Branch, and the Examinations Branch, along with their respective subordinate sections.

As a Paralegal Specialist, the incumbent is primarily responsible for assisting attorneys, financial analysts, and examiners in the Division by providing comprehensive legal and regulatory support in all aspects of MPD’s daily activities, including the assessment of the appropriateness of current regulations, the assessment of registrants’ compliance with current regulations, the development of revised and new regulations to address dynamic market structures and operations, drafting of orders and letters, and the publishing of guidance to provide legal clarity to market participants by defining regulatory obligations.

• Provide Comprehensive Legal Support: Organize and maintain examination and legal files for all aspects of the Division’s operations, compile records, prepare exhibits, coordinate document collection and production; conduct document reviews; assist with tracking internal and external deadlines, and drafting examination and legal reports and summaries.
• Conduct Foundational Legal Research: Use legal databases (e.g., Westlaw, Lexis) to research statutes, case law, and agency guidance on a broad range of issues.
• Assist with FOIA and Privacy Act Requests: Help review and redact documents, apply legal exemptions, and draft responses to public information requests under attorney supervision.
• Collaborate Across the Agency: Work with program offices and legal staff to gather information, coordinate responses, and build professional communication skills in a legal environment.