Senior Appellate Counsel
What you'd do
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking a Trial Attorney (Senior Appellate Counsel) in the Appellate group. As a Senior Appellate Counsel, you will draft briefs, present oral arguments, and provide legal advice concerning a variety of complex legal issues involving the federal securities laws, the Constitution, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Bankruptcy Code.
Major duties
The Appellate group represents the Commission in appeals of civil enforcement actions and in petitions seeking review of Commission adjudicatory actions, rulemakings, and other regulatory actions. In this role as a Senior Appellate Counsel, you will be responsible for: Leading appellate litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court, courts of appeals, and district courts, including drafting briefs, preparing submissions, and presenting oral argument in cases arising from enforcement actions, Commission orders, and rulemakings. Providing authoritative legal advice to the Commission, individual Commissioners, and senior SEC staff on complex, significant, and novel legal questions involving federal securities laws, administrative law, constitutional law, and appellate procedure. Evaluating adverse decisions and recommending whether the Commission should pursue further review in the courts of appeals or the Supreme Court. Assessing private litigation for potential Commission participation as amicus curiae and prepare amicus recommendations and draft briefs when appropriate. Supporting OGC leadership, including assisting the General Counsel with special projects and providing legal guidance to rulemaking and trial teams on complex legal issues that intersect with appellate litigation. Preparing memoranda and other written material to support agency positions on challenging legal issues, including statutory construction, procedural questions, and cross-agency policy considerations. Supervising junior attorneys in the conduct of appellate litigation, providing mentorship, strategic guidance, and quality review of briefs and other written work-product.
What you need to qualify
Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review. Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following J.D. or LL.B. degree --AND-- Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.) MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement. SK-16: Applicant must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-14 level. Specialized experience includes: Interpreting federal securities laws, Commission rules and regulations, and the Administrative Procedure Act; AND Preparing appellate briefs and presenting oral argument in appellate matters involving legal or factual issues; AND Drafting legal documents and providing legal advice or guidance to clients, management officials, or other attorneys. ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information: Competency 1: Written and Oral Advocacy - Applies legal expertise and knowledge of the facts of a case to produce persuasive written products (e.g., briefs and legal memoranda) and/or oral presentations (e.g. arguments). Competency 2: Legal Review - Conducts analysis and reviews documents and reports for compliance with Federal law, including federal securities laws and/or laws governing the rulemaking process. Competency 3: Critical Thinking - Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and determining next steps in a case. Competency 4: Legal Analysis and Advice - Utilizes expert legal knowledge to apply relevant law to the facts of each matter and effectively communicates advice based on that analysis.
Before you apply
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