Summary
The Counsel position is located Office of the General Counsel (OGC), Ethics Staff. The OGC provides legal advice and services to the Director and Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) staff, the Judicial Conference of the United States and its committees, judges, and other senior court officials. The Office is responsible for rendering legal opinions and advice on a wide range of issues in the field of Federal judicial administration.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This vacancy announcement is open until filled. Applications will be reviewed every two weeks beginning July 11, 2024. This position allows for recurring and situational telework, but does not qualify for full-time or remote telework.
Duties
This position will report to the Assistant General Counsel, Chief of the Ethics Staff-Financial Disclosure in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The OGC is seeking a Counsel to join its team. The incumbent will serve as Assistant Chief of the Financial Disclosure Staff and Staff Counsel to the Committee on Financial Disclosure of the Judicial Conference of the United States and assist with providing professional advice and guidance related to the implementation and administration of the financial disclosure provisions of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended. Additional responsibilities include assisting with reviewing and certifying report compliance with applicable laws, and the management of staff.
The ideal candidate must have excellent legal research and analytical skills; the ability to write clearly and succinctly; the ability to plan, organize, and work effectively under demanding circumstances and time constraints; the ability to identify and resolve problems effectively; and the ability to communicate effectively with AO management, judges and other senior court personnel, and employees of the Executive and Legislative Branches.
The duties of this position include, but are not limited to:
- Managing and supervising a team consisting of paraprofessionals and administrative staff responsible for examining and reviewing financial disclosure reports required to be filed by federal judges and qualifying Judiciary employees in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
- Managing and administering the redaction process in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, and releasing reports requested by the public.
- Supporting the Committee on Financial Disclosure by providing policy and operational advice and guidance throughout the year and organizing and preparing agenda books, Judicial Conference reports, and other materials (i.e., statistical reports, research, and recommendations) relating to biannual Committee meetings.
- Providing comprehensive advice and guidance concerning interpretations of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, Committee procedures, financial disclosure reporting requirements related to investment and financial instruments, and the public disclosure policies to the Director of the Administrative Office, General Counsel, judges, judicial employees and staff, and the public.
- Managing, in consultation with the appropriate technology staff, the development, maintenance, and operation of the current Financial Disclosure Online Reporting System and the Financial Disclosure Reporting software; and leading the transition to a modernized financial disclosure system.
- Consulting and collaborating with designated Assistant General Counsels to develop and provide legal advice and recommendations regarding the application of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, the Codes of Conduct, and related statutes and regulations.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
- All information is subject to verification. Applicants are advised that false answers or omissions of information on application materials or inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
- Selection for this position is contingent upon completion of OF-306, Declaration of Federal Employment during the pre-employment process and proof of U.S. citizenship for competitive status positions or conversion to a competitive status position with the AO. If non-citizens are considered for hire into a temporary or any other position with non-competitive status or when it is confirmed by the AO Human Resources Office there are no qualified U.S. citizens for a competitive status position (unless prohibited by a law or statue), non-citizens must provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. and proof of entitlement to receive compensation. Additional information on the employment of non-citizens can be found at USAJOBS Help Center | Employment of non-citizens/. For a list of documents that may be used to provide proof of citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, please refer to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
- All new AO employees will be required to complete an FBI fingerprint-based national criminal database and records check and pass a public trust suitability check.
- New employees to the AO will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights/responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
- All new AO employees are required to identify a financial institution for direct deposit of pay before appointment.
- You will be required to serve a trial period if selected for a first-time appointment to the Federal government, transferring from another Federal agency, or serving as a first-time supervisor. Failure to successfully complete the trial period may result in termination of employment.
- If appointed to a temporary position, management may have the discretion of converting the position to permanent depending upon funding and staffing allocation.
Qualifications
Applicants must have demonstrated experience as listed below. This requirement is according to the AO Classification, Compensation, and Recruitment Systems which include interpretive guidance and reference to the OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions.
Bar Membership: Applicants must currently be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a federal court of general jurisdiction. Applicants are responsible for citing minimum qualifications such as J.D. and bar membership information (institution name, state(s) for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will constitute an incomplete application. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Post J.D. Experience: Applicants must also possess at least 3 years of post J.D. experience.
Specialized Experience: Subsequent to graduation from law school, applicants must have at least one full year (52 weeks) (preferably 3 or more years) of specialized experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position. Specialized experience must demonstrate experience in ALL areas defined below:
- Experience as a practicing senior level attorney for the federal government or private sector providing legal advice and guidance on a broad range of issues, policies, procedures, and legislative matters;
- Providing advice and guidance to senior level officials concerning ethics law; and
- Experience with financial disclosure reporting requirements for investment and financial instruments.
Education
Applicants must possess a law degree (J.D.) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/.
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
We will review your resume and supporting documentation and compare this information to your responses on the occupational questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this job. If you meet the minimum qualifications for this job, we will evaluate your application package, to assess the quality, depth, and complexity of your accomplishments, experience, and education as they relate to the requirements listed in this vacancy announcement.
You should be aware that your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume and/or narrative responses, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Failure to submit the mandatory narrative responses will result in not receiving full consideration and/or rating credit. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you, withdrawing an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
Required Documents
For this job announcement the following documents and/or information are required:
- Resume - Any written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications.
- Citizenship - Include country of citizenship on resume.
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - All applicants outside of the AO must submit a copy of your latest SF-50 to verify current or former Federal employment status.
- Veterans Preference documentation - Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214), if applicable Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (SF-15) and an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 06/26/2025 to receive consideration.
To begin, click
- Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account.
- You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application.
- You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement.
- To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12450430
Next steps
After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and referral to the hiring official if determined qualified. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
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