General Attorney (TR) (Antitrust Law Enforcement)

Clarification from the agency

THIS IS NOT A VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THIS JOB OPPORTUNITY MUST VISIT THE FTC'S BUREAU OF COMPETITION LEGAL CAREERS WEBPAGE (SEE THE "EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS" SECTION). PLEASE REFER TO THE "HOW TO APPLY" SECTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POSTING FOR FURTHER DETAILS. APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED BY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED ON THE FTC'S BUREAU OF COMPETITION LEGAL CAREERS WEBSITE.

As an attorney in the Litigation Group, you will be principally focused on federal district court litigations involving some of the Bureau of Competition's most complex and high-profile cases. Litigation Group attorneys may appear as lead or senior counsel in federal district court trials, and routinely support all aspects of contested litigations, including pre-complaint legal research and case assessment as well as all phases of the civil discovery process. Candidates should have significant experience with complex civil litigation discovery, and successful candidates will likely have relevant trial experience including direct and cross examinations, work with experts, and oral advocacy. Experience in antitrust matters is preferred but not required. Candidates should demonstrate excellent legal research and writing abilities, strong organizational and analytical skills, and excellent oral communications skills. Candidates also should be able to effectively lead teams of attorneys and support staff, exercise sound judgment, and exhibit a strong interest in the work of the agency. More specifically, incumbents of this position will:

• Lead, supervise, or conduct all phases of antitrust merger litigations and litigations challenging anticompetitive conduct, including acting as lead counsel when required.
• Advise Bureau of Competition leadership on litigation strategy, including researching and identifying viable legal theories to challenge conduct that harms competition.
• Prepare internal documents for review by the Commission and perform special assignments as directed.
• Support, train, and develop best litigation practices for Bureau staff.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. citizenship requirement must be met by the closing date of this vacancy.
• This position is subject to a background investigation.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must register with Selective Service.
• Possess a J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory - US, PR, DC.
• If selected for this position, the agency will evaluate your fitness and whether continuation of employment advances the public interest before extending your appointment beyond the two-year trial period.
• This position is in the bargaining unit. This position is represented by the National Treasury Employees Union, Local 344.
• Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
• This position may be subject to a two-year trial period.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must have attained the first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) from an accredited law school and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory. Applicants must demonstrate excellent writing skills and be able to work effectively with other people, exercise sound judgment, and exhibit a strong interest in the work of the agency.


Additional Requirements

GS-15 Positions
For attorney appointments: active member of the bar in good standing and 60 months of legal experience after graduation from law school. At least 18 months of your legal experience after graduation from law school must be comparable to the GS-14 level.

To qualify for the GS-15 level: Qualifying experience at the GS-15 level includes examples such as being an outstanding writer and highly effective oral advocate. You must also exercise sound judgment, supervise, work well with, and motivate others, and make decided contributions to the work of the office. You must function independently and your work should not require close supervision or substantive review. Your supervisor(s) must have complete confidence in your judgment. At this level, you should be recognized for your competence. These attorneys should be able to represent the agency before any group or in any setting, and to effectively manage the preparation and trial of virtually any major case, all stages in the appeal of such a case, or conduct evaluation and analysis of the most complex cases of major significance for which little if any precedent exists.

Note: Legal and nonlegal experience gained in the Federal Government before completing law school does not satisfy post law school experience.

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.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

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 based on the overall strength of your credentials as demonstrated by your cover letter, resume, writing sample, and experience. The most qualified candidates will be selected for interviews, which will also be considered in making the final decision.

Application of Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Federal Trade Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. If you are eligible for veterans' preference, you are encouraged to include that information in your cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214 or other substantiating documents) to your submission.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your résumé showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
2. Other supporting documents:

• Cover Letter, optional
• Writing Sample, optional
• Graduate Transcript(s), if the position has an education requirement - REQUIRED
• Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g., DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF- 15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
• Schedule A- In order to receive consideration under the Schedule A authority, you must provide a certification of job readiness printed on a medical professional's letterhead and signed. For more information, please visit USAJOBS Individuals with Disabilities (https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/individuals-with-disabilities/)

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