Paralegal Specialist (Adjudications Clerk)
What you'd do
The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal services to the Commission, ensuring that all agency actions comply with the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and related regulations. OGC represents the Commission in federal courts and before administrative bodies in litigation involving enforcement appeals, challenges to Commission actions, derivatives industry bankruptcies, employment matters, and other administrative proceedings.
Major duties
This position is located within the Office of Proceedings (Proceedings) and serves as a Paralegal Specialist (Adjudications Clerk). Provide legal support to CFTC Administrative Judges (AJs) by managing adjudications dockets and case files, coordinating hearings, communicating with parties on procedural matters, and performing targeted legal research and drafting assignments. Maintain dockets for reparations, wage garnishment, statutory disqualification, and related adjudications assigned to AJs, from initial filing through final disposition, ensuring accurate entries and tracking of case milestones. Review complaints, answers, motions, and other filings for completeness, timeliness, and compliance with the Commission's rules and Part 12 requirements, routing compliant filings to the appropriate AJ. Monitor deadlines for service, responsive pleadings, discovery, prehearing submissions, and hearings; prepare and issue routine notices regarding status, procedural requirements, and upcoming deadlines using established formats. Coordinate with the Division of Enforcement and other offices to incorporate necessary information into new adjudications and to ensure alignment with related enforcement matters when appropriate. Establish and maintain electronic and paper case files for each AJ matter, organizing pleadings, exhibits, orders, correspondence, and discovery materials. Conduct targeted legal and procedural research in support of AJs, including locating relevant sections of Part 12, the CEA, and prior Commission or AJ decisions. Verify accuracy and appropriate citation format of record and legal citations in orders and decisions by the AJs. Serve as a primary point of contact for parties and their representatives, including pro se litigants, providing information on filings logistics, scheduling, and procedural steps without offering legal advice. Coordinate logistics for in person and virtual hearings before the AJs, including scheduling dates, arranging court reporters, managing exhibits, and ensuring that notices of hearings and deadlines are properly prepared and served. Apply Commission and Office policies on records retention, privacy, and access; coordinate with records staff to archive or close files consistent with Federal Records Act and internal requirements.
What you need to qualify
For the GS-11 Specialized experience is defined as: For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is defined as: Managing adjudication dockets and case files across diverse proceedings, ensuring precise tracking of case milestones, meeting required deadlines, and following agency regulations and internal procedures. Conducting legal and procedural research to support administrative decision‐makers, reviewing filings for completeness and timeliness, preparing clear summaries of findings, and verifying legal citations in orders and decisions. Coordinating logistics for both in‐person and virtual proceedings. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of related graduate level education and specialized experience.
Before you apply
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