General Attorney (Honors)

About the role

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the General Counsel (OGC), is seeking applications for its 2027 Honors Attorney Program. Honors Attorneys at the U.S. Department of Commerce provide legal advice and counsel to help the Department meet its strategic goals in its broad mission to promote U.S. commerce at home and abroad.

What you will do

• The Honors Attorney Program offers new law graduates and recent law graduates completing judicial clerkships or fellowships a unique opportunity to complete a two-year rotational program before being assigned to a permanent position in one of OGC's many practice areas.
• Six-month rotational opportunities will provide each Honors Attorney with substantive and challenging assignments and broad exposure to Commerce's diverse mission and the work of a Cabinet-level agency.
• On each rotation, Honors Attorneys will work in one of nearly two dozen programmatic and administrative legal offices, including: 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.
• Legislation and Regulation (L&R) manages the Department's legislative and regulatory legal functions.
• 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.
• Transactions and Program Management's (TPM) is 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.
• Commercial Law Development Program's (CLDP) mission is to advance U.S. business interests and national security objectives around the world by providing technical assistance, advisory services, and sector planning support to improve the legal and regulatory conditions for trade and investment.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for Economic Affairs (OCC-EA) provides legal advice to the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs (OUS/EA) and supports OUS/EA's efforts to maintain the highest possible quality Federal statistical system, communicate a vision of the key forces at work in the economy and the opportunities these forces create for improving the well-being of all Americans, and support the information and analytical needs of the Department and the Executive Branch.
• Office of the Chief Counsel of the Economic Development Administration (OCC-EDA) serves the legal needs of EDA, the agency that leads the Federal economic development agenda by making strategic grants-based investments.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for Trade Enforcement & Compliance (CC-TEC) is the principal legal advisor to Enforcement & Compliance (E&C), a unit within the International Trade Administration, regarding legal issues that arise during antidumping (discriminatory pricing) and countervailing duty (foreign government subsidization) administrative proceedings.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for Industry and Security (OCC-IS) provides legal support to the Department of Commerce, particularly the Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), including BIS's Export Administration, Export Enforcement, and Information and Communications Technology and Services offices.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for International Commerce (OCC-IC) provides legal support to the Department of Commerce, particularly the Department's International Trade Administration (ITA), including ITA's three business units, Enforcement and Compliance, Global Markets, and Industry and Analysis.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for National Institute of Standards and Technology (OCC-NIST) supports NIST, which is directly related to advancing the scientific and technical capabilities of the commercial infrastructure of the United States.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (OCC-NTIA) is responsible for the development and administration of the NTIA legal program.
• Office of the Chief Counsel for Semiconductor Incentives (OCC-SI) provides advice and assistance to the CHIPS Program Office (CPO) within the Department.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• This position requires a TOP SECRET CLEARANCE: Any required investigations and clearances must be completed before the selectee can be placed in the 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 or possession of drugs.
• A trial period may be required.
• Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see ***) 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: Yes, This position is subject to pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing thereafter.
• 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. Applicants eligible for veterans preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume. If selected, additional information may be required.

Documents you must provide

• 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 should list your educational and work experience, including the dates (mm/dd/yyyy) and provide the hours per week, if less than 40.
• 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.

What to expect next

Once your application is received we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and determine your eligibility. You will only be contacted if you are found eligible and if you are selected for an interview. Applicants selected for interviews may be requested to provide a legal writing sample.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for OGC to share your application with others in OGC for similar positions. By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application.

If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment.

The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).

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.