Trial Attorney (Appellate)

US Federal Communications Commission; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of General Counsel, Litigation Division at the FCC in Washington, DC seeks an attorney with appellate litigation experience to represent the agency before courts and tribunals. The role emphasizes drafting pleadings, conducting advanced legal research, and providing strategic guidance on complex matters.

Required is a JD or equivalent and at least three years of professional law experience with specialized experience at GS-14 level or higher; familiarity with federal and state

Qualifications

• For GS-14/GS-15, candidate must have professional law experience and specialized experience in appellate litigation and related activities.
• Experience drafting pleadings, briefs, motions, and providing legal guidance to decision makers.
• Ability to analyze complex legal-technical issues and develop litigation strategies.

Responsibilities

• Represent the agency in a broad array of appellate matters before federal and state courts of appeals.
• Draft pleadings filed in court cases and provide written guidance to decision makers.
• Handle complex, delicate, and novel legal issues and judgments.
• Advise high-level officials on the legality of proposed policies and decisions.

Skills

Appellate representation

Draft pleadings

Legal research

Litigation strategy

Advising officials

Education

JD / LL.B. / LL.M.

Job description

This position is in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Litigation Division, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) located in Washington, DC.

RELOCATION EXPENSES WILL NOT BE PAID.

THIS VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITHIN 90 DAYS.

Interested candidates should be passionate about the ideals of our American republic, committed to upholding the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution, and committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government. Hiring decisions will not be based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Professional law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.

In order to be deemed as "BEST QUALIFIED" candidates must meet both the educational requirements AND the Specialized Experience.

A. Education

You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney positions. Education requirements include: a professional law degree JD, LL.B., and/or LL.M.

NOTE-If you do not provide a transcript at the time of application, a transcript will be required to be provided at the time of selection.

AND

B. Specialized Experience

A. Education

You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Attorney positions. Education requirements include: a professional law degree JD, LL.B., and/or LL.M.

NOTE-If you do not provide a transcript at the time of application, a transcript will be required to be provided at the time of selection.

AND

B. Specialized Experience

For the GS-14 position: Applicant must possess at least three years of professional law experience and at least one year of that experience must be specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-13 grade level in the Federal Service performing the following: serving as a litigator in the federal or state courts of appeals, participating in motions practice before federal or state trial courts, and/or litigating cases before other tribunals; drafting pleadings, briefs, and motions; conducting legal research on complex issues; analyzing complicated legal and technical issues and developing litigation strategies; and providing legal advice on a variety of matters to attorneys and other professionals.

For the GS-15 position: Applicant must possess at least three years of professional law experience and at least one year of that experience must be specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal Service performing the following: serving as a litigator in the federal or state courts of appeals, participating in motions practice before federal or state trial courts, and/or litigating cases before other tribunals; drafting pleadings, briefs, and motions; conducting legal research on complex issues; analyzing complicated legal and technical issues and developing litigation strategies; presenting oral arguments in court; and providing legal advice on a variety of matters to attorneys and other professionals.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: 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.

SME REVIEW

Subject matter experts will review your application to determine if your resume demonstrates all required qualification criteria (professional law experience and specialized experience) in addition to meeting the following required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's).

GS-14 COMPETENCIES

• Ability to represent an organization in a broad array of complex appellate matters.
• Ability to draft pleadings filed in court cases and ability to provide written guidance to decision makers on legal and litigation-related questions.
• Ability to handle matters that involve complicated, delicate, and novel issues and legal judgments.
• Ability to advise high-level officials as to the legality of proposed policies and decisions.
• Ability to handle matters that require an approach to complicated, delicate, and novel issues in a manner that reflects an understanding of problems which require resolution.

GS-15 COMPETENCIES

• Ability to represent an organization in a broad array of complex appellate matters.
• Ability to draft pleadings filed in court cases and ability to provide written guidance to decision makers on legal and litigation-related questions.
• Ability to handle matters that involve complicated, delicate, and novel issues and legal judgments.
• Ability to advise high-level officials as to the legality of proposed policies and decisions.
• Ability to handle matters that require an approach to complicated, delicate, and novel issues in a manner that reflects an understanding of problems which require resolution.
• Abliity to prepare legal memoranda advising on the status of litigation, as well as on the significance of judicial decisions in cases.

If you are deemed to be qualified by the Subject Matter Experts, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for hiring consideration. Alternatively, if your application is not deemed as qualified by the Subject Matter Experts, your application will not be referred to the hiring manager for hiring consideration.