Summary
Copyright is a form of legal protection provided by the laws of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) to authors of literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and other works. The Attorney-Advisor in the Office of General Counsel performs authoritative and accurate legal research, provides legal advice to internal staff on all matters of copyright law, and prepares materials for regulatory proceedings and other policy work.
Clarification from the agency
Anyone may apply - By law, employment at most U.S. Government agencies, including the Library of Congress, is limited to U.S. citizens. However, non-citizens may be hired, provided that other legal requirements are met and the Library determines there are no qualified U.S. citizens available for the position.
Duties
THIS IS AN OPEN CONTINUOUS POSTING. APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AND REVIEWED ON A ROLLING BASIS.
Applicants may submit or update their application before the closing date. Applicants will be referred after the first cutoff date, and subsequent referrals will be made at the manager’s request. The announcement may close earlier or at the request of the selecting official or after the job is filled.
The first cutoff for receipt of applications under this announcement will be 11:59 p.m. EST on April 24, 2024.
The United States Copyright Office, located within the Library of Congress and under the direction of the Register of Copyrights, administers copyright law, advises Congress and government agencies on legal and policy matters; provides international representation on copyright issues; administers the national copyright registration system; provides collections materials to the Library through voluntary registration and mandatory deposit programs; records documents relating to copyright chain of title; administers statutory license provisions of the law, including collecting and distributing royalties; maintains the world's largest database of copyright public records; and provides information and reference services to the public.
This position is located in the Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Register, U.S. Copyright Office.
The position description numbers for this position are 12751 and 12752.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.
This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.
The incumbents for these positions will work a full-time, flextime work schedule.
Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.
Based on complete legal research in a very complex area of law, the incumbent prepares probing, innovative, and fully and accurately documented written arguments, briefs, studies or other analytical documents which involve complex legal or policy variables within broad areas of U.S. copyright law, and other matters contained in title 17, foreign and international copyright law and jurisprudence. These analyses relate to the history, development, interpretation, and implementation of primarily national policies.
Performs probing and innovative legal research and prepares regulations, briefs, memoranda, and other legal materials and documents in consultation with the General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel or other senior staff. Researches precedents, applicable statutes, and other resources to provide opinions regarding proposed changes in policies and regulations. The incumbent is expected to be able to complete such research independently and to need little guidance from the supervisor or senior staff.
Prepares for the General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel or other senior staff authoritative descriptive and background reports, compilations, surveys, comparison of laws and bills, and other written projects for use by the Copyright Office, members of Congress and their staff, and high level officials from other federal agencies and private organizations. Such reports contribute significantly to the understanding of the nature of legal issues before the Office primarily on the domestic front while cognizant of any international developments or implications and provide an authoritative basis for the consideration of legislative or regulatory proposals.
Reviews difficult and complex legal and administrative matters such as proposed administrative policies, procedures, regulations, and other agency publications to evaluate the legality and effect on the agency. Analyzes the factual and legal issues presented to determine whether further information is needed, and if so, how best to obtain that information.
Prepares and delivers oral presentations at copyright programs, meetings, and hearings employing the incumbent's broad knowledge of legal issues and current copyright and intellectual property concerns.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
Conditions of Employment
Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.
Qualifications
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
Knowledge of Copyright Law.**
Ability to Conduct Legal Research.**
Ability to Convey Legal Analysis and Information Orally through Briefings, Meetings, and Presentations.
Ability to Work Collaboratively with Others.
Ability to Write/Communicate in Writing.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Education
Basic Requirements
Applicants must possess an LL.B. or J.D., or higher degree from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Appointees must maintain active membership in good standing of the bar throughout their employment.
The following documents MUST BE ATTACHED to your online application:
- Legible copies of transcripts demonstrating that applicant is a graduate from an LL.B. or J.D., or higher degree program in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law must be attached to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of the application. Official documents will be required if selected.
- Proof of bar membership demonstrating that applicant is an active (or equivalent) member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.
Foreign Education – Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE).
Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview.
The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview.
The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.
For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library of Congress Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D, at: Merit Selection Plan You may preview questions for this vacancy.
Applicants must possess an LL.B. or J.D., or higher degree from a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Appointees must maintain active membership in good standing of the bar throughout their employment.
The following documents MUST BE ATTACHED to your online application:
- Legible copies of transcripts demonstrating that applicant is a graduate from an LL.B. or J.D., or higher degree program in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association or a state-accredited school of law must be attached to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of the application. Official documents will be required if selected.
- Proof of bar membership demonstrating that applicant is an active (or equivalent) member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, a territory of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
You must submit a legible copy of your college/university transcripts to your online application. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application. Official transcripts will be required if selected. Failure to submit the required legible documentation at the time of application will result in disqualification of your application.
Foreign Education – Education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed equivalent to conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. If your college/university is outside the U.S., your transcripts must be accompanied by a report from a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE).
Failure to submit a foreign education evaluation report will result in disqualification of your application.
Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).
Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position.
You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers three options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
(1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement.
(2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
Next steps
Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.
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