Summary
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of the General Counsel seeks applications for its 2025 Attorney Honors Program. Honors Attorneys provide legal advice to help the Department meet its strategic goals, promoting U.S. commerce at home and abroad. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen graduating from law school in Spring 2025 or a recent law school graduate completing a clerkship or fellowship in Summer 2025.
Please read this Public Notice fully before submitting your application.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from all U.S. Citizens.
Duties
The attorney(s) will be hired at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade level, depending on experience. The promotion potential following placement after one's participation in the Honors Program is to the GS-15 level.
GS-11 Level:
Performs a variety of legal duties such as: researching legal issues which are often factually complex; developing drafts of letters, memoranda, and legal documents for the use by a higher graded attorney; participating in administrative or judicial hearings; or engaging with other federal agencies in commerce-related matters.
GS-12 Level:
Performs a variety of legal duties such as researching legal issues which are often factually complex; developing drafts of letters, memoranda and legal documents for themselves or a higher graded attorney; participating in administrative or judicial hearings; or engaging with other federal agencies in commerce-related matters. The incumbent is expected to be able to independently present legal conclusions to adjudicatory authorities, high level organizational officials, as well as outside counsel and other interested groups.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. Eligibility is limited to individuals graduating from law school in Spring 2025 or completing a judicial clerkship or fellowship in Summer 2025.
- You must successfully pass a background investigation to obtain and potentially be required to maintain a TS/SCI clearance. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs.
- You must complete a 2-year trial period.
- Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/)
- 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
- 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
Qualifications
Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/
Basic requirement for all grade levels upon commencement of the position:
- You must be a graduate with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school; AND
- You must have bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands or admission to such bar must be pending. If not yet admitted to a bar, you will be offered a law clerk position, and will be converted to an attorney position, and will be converted to an attorney position upon bar admission.
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 volunteer experience.
Minimum Requirements:
The career ladder for attorney positions in OGC is generally GS-11 to GS-15. The minimum qualifications for hiring at each grade level (or equivalent) are as follows:
To qualify at the GS-11 level:
At the time of entry into the program,J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. (The requirement that an applicant possess a J.D. may be waived if his or her bar membership is in a state that allows individuals to "read for the law" rather than pursue a formal academic degree).
To qualify at the GS-12 level:
GS-11 qualifications plus one year or more of post-J.D. legal experience. This includes clerkship or fellowship experience.
Education
Applicants must either be a candidate for a Juris Doctor for the Class of 2025 from an accredited law school or possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school. Official or unofficial transcripts must be submitted with your application package.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. 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 résumé 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.
- 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.
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.
Required Documents
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.
- Writing Sample. You are required to submit a writing sample that demonstrates legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
A Certificate of bar membership and proof of good standing is not required at the time of application but will be a condition of continued employment if selected. If bar membership is pending upon entry into the program, the candidate will be offered a law clerk position and then converted to an attorney position once admitted to a bar.
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. 3302 and 3361.
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
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING RESUMES AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Submit required documents email to DOCHonorsProgram@doc.gov with the subject line Attorney Honors Program- [LAST NAME] and including at least the following information in the email's body:
[PERSON'S NAME]
[PERSONS' ADDRESS]
[PERSON'S PHONE NUMBER]
[PERSON'S EMAIL ADDRESS]
1. Cover letter
2. Resume
3. Copy of law school transcript
4. Writing sample
Next steps
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.
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.).
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