Clarification from the agency

Open to the public.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has two immediate vacancies and anticipates multiple law clerk vacancies in the Fall of 2026. The FERC Law Clerk position requires a firm two-year commitment.

Law clerks serve for two-year terms, and are assigned to 1-2 judges, depending on office needs. Although each judge’s needs may vary, the law clerk will often work closely with the assigned judge in drafting orders and decisions on complex issues in energy law, among many other matters. While clerks work with judges on foundational energy law questions, the vibrant field of energy regulation also requires clerks to gain familiarity with legal questions of all sorts, such as administrative, environmental, corporate, corporate finance, contract, tort, tax, securities, antitrust, evidence, and much more. Law clerks will often independently conduct legal and factual research, advise the judge verbally and in-person, and prepare draft decisions, orders, or memos for the judge's review. To provide this assistance, the law clerks will sometimes work with energy industry analysts and other in-house experts to gain technical knowledge. Law clerks will also have the opportunity to sit in, and assist with, trials, oral arguments and mediations, and act as the judge's primary communicator with participants.

As a Law Clerk, some of your typical work assignments may include:

• Analyzes data, information and legal argument to understand and evaluate competing views, help plan strategies, help create constructive solutions to aid the administrative law judge in reaching a reasoned decision.
• Presents and explains concepts and information in writing, supports conclusions with legal authority. Presents and explains concepts and information orally, supports conclusions with logic, policy, and legal authorities.
• Addresses inquiries from internal and external customers on OALJ activities of all levels of complexity and either responds to the request or directs customer to the appropriate staff or external entities where the matter can be addressed more appropriately in another forum.
• Works independently or with others to plan and complete assignments, simultaneously handles multiple assignments, anticipates workload and plans accordingly, and may direct others or receive direction in a team setting.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• A two-year trial period may be required.
• A background investigation is required.
• This is a bargaining unit position (AFGE Local 421).
• Generally, male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service.
• This position has an education requirement; you must submit transcripts.
• Relocation expenses will not be paid.
• If hired, you may be required to divest certain energy-related securities.
• Maximum of 2 page resume.

You must meet all eligibility and qualification (experience and/or education) requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To view the eligibility and qualification requirements of a Law Clerk , GS-0904, please visit: Law Clerks, 0904

You must meet the following basic requirements, by the end of the Spring semester 2026:  (1) hold a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited college or university.

It is highly preferable for candidates to have taken the bar exam prior to commencing their clerkships. Appointees commencing work prior to passing the bar exam are designated as a "Law Clerk" – a designation that cannot under any circumstances exceed 14 months and cannot be extended. This means that the appointee must pass the bar exam before the 14-month period ends. Once admitted to the bar of any state, the appointee’s designation is converted to "Attorney Advisor."

The FERC law clerk position requires a firm two-year commitment. Upon commencement of this term, the law clerk must have obtained a juris doctorate degree, and within 14-months, must pass the bar of a state, federal district, or bar for which license holders may practice before the federal government. 

This field is highly technical and requires substantial training to achieve competence. Once achieved through the clerk program, however, this competence often affords OALJ clerks highly coveted and otherwise unavailable employment opportunities. Clerks may interview for other employment after twenty-two (22) months. Recent clerks have quickly gone-on to other clerking opportunities, litigation and general counsel positions within FERC, in policy or nonprofit roles, and to law firms of all sizes.

Outstanding organizational, critical analysis, and legal writing skills are all essential for our law clerks.

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 any volunteer experience.

Please do not cut and paste  the position description, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume, as this will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

1. Once the vacancy announcement closes, we will review your resume and any supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements for the position. Your resume must address the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and abilities, and other characteristics):

   Legal Research and Analysis

   Writing and Communication

   Customer Service

   Case Management

2. The online assessment is used to evaluate your relevant education and experience in relation to the required competencies for this position.
3. If you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements, your application will be further evaluated based on your answers to the vacancy questionnaire, using the Category Rating Method. This means you will be placed into one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified, depending on your responses. Your rating may be lowered if your responses are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your resume. Veterans’ preference is applied by listing preference eligibles ahead of non-preference eligibles within the same category in which they are placed. Qualified preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent (CPS and CP) will be placed at the top of the highest quality category (Best Qualified), ahead of all other preference and non-preference eligibles, regardless of the quality category in which they are placed as a result of the assessment of their qualifications (excepted for scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level and above). A selecting official may make selections from the highest quality category (Best Qualified), provided no preference eligibles in that category is passed over to select a non-preference eligible.
4. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. Please note - only your resume and cover letter will be forwarded to the selecting official.

Failure to submit all required documentation by the closing date of this vacancy announcement, including adhering to the maximum two-page resume requirement, will result in removal from consideration and loss of any special hiring preference (e.g., veterans’ preference, ICTAP/CTAP eligibility, Schedule A).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ALL CANDIDATES:

1. RESUME (maximum of 2 pages in length): Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire. You must ensure it contains the following information for each experience/position:
   • Position title
   • Name of employer
   • Beginning and ending dates of employment (Month/Day/Year format)
   • Hours worked per week
   • Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)
   • Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions)
   • If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying based on your education, you must list your education history, including the type of degree and your major of study.
2. VACANCY QUESTIONNAIRE: You must submit and complete the online eligibility and vacancy questions.
3. TRANSCRIPTS (only required when the position has an education requirement, or you are qualifying for the position based on your education): You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts to verify your education. Unofficial copies are acceptable; however, if selected you will be required to provide official transcripts before your effective date.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT PREFERENCE OR ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS: 

1. VETERANS’PREFERENCE (DD-214, VA Disability Letter, etc.): If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an “Application for 10-point Veteran Preference” (SF-15), along with official VA letter and the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information about veterans' preference, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans.
2. CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CTAP)/INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated “Well Qualified” for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information about CTAP/ICTAP, visit: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp. The following documents are required:
   • Reduction in Force or RIF notice – written notice of your expected separation, or other documentation of priority consideration status;
   • Latest SF-50 noting your current position, grade level, and duty location;
   • Last performance appraisal, including your rating; and
   • Any documentation from your agency showing your current promotion potential.

Next steps