Honors Attorney (GS-904-11 Law Clerk/GS-905-12/13 Attorney Advisor) Job in District of Columbia, DC

Vacancy No. HonorsAtty-OGC-2025-001 Department Federal Communications Commission
Salary $82,764.00 to $153,354.00 Grade 11 to 13
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/11/2024 Close Date 11/21/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
District of Columbia, DC


Summary

The Attorney Honors Program is the FCC’s primary vehicle for hiring entry-level attorneys.  AHP participants serve in a two-year employment and training program designed to introduce them to the field of communications law and policy.  The FCC encourages law students in their final year of study, recent law school graduates, and current judicial clerks with superior academic credentials and an interest in public service and communications law to apply. See www.fcc.gov/attorneyhonorsprogram.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to the Public

Duties

Honors Attorneys gain valuable experience and benefit from a wide variety of learning experiences. Attorneys at the FCC draft decisions in adjudicatory and rule-making matters, work with internal and external constituencies to resolve complex policy issues before the agency, participate in international negotiations, represent the FCC in dealings with other government agencies, Congress and the private sector, and defend FCC decisions in the federal courts. Additionally, Honors Attorneys benefit from a specialized training and career-development curriculum designed specifically for the program.  Typically, Honors Attorneys:

  • Conduct legal research, compile facts and background information, search authorities and precedents on points of law, and draft legal documents, reports, and memoranda;
  • Study the record in cases pending before the agency and prepare drafts on the law and facts;
  • Research legal and policy matters involved in special projects, including interpretations of treaties, statutes, and regulations; prepare written authoritative opinions; and prepare responses to inquiries from members of the public concerning communications law, policy, and procedures; and/or
  • Examine formal filings such as applications for licenses or other authorities, petitions and responsive pleadings, formal and informal complaints and inquiries, and various reports and statements required to be filed under the Commission's rules; analyze questions of law and fact, conduct the necessary research, and prepare appropriate documents recommending dispositive action.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must submit a cover letter
  • Suitable for employment as determined by a background investigation.
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
  • U.S. citizens, nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
  • Must submit a resume.
  • Must submit an official or unofficial law school transcript
  • Must submit a writing sample (preferably not more than 15 pages)
  • Must submit a list of three professional references (with phone and email)
  • GS-12/13 Honors Attorneys: Bar membership required at time of appointment

General Eligibility Requirements.  You are eligible to apply during the fall application window for the 2025 Attorney Honors Program if you are a:

  • Current law student who will graduate in the spring or summer of 2025;
  • Graduate law student who will complete your course of study by the summer of 2025;
  • Federal, state, or municipal judicial clerk serving during the 2024-25 judicial term; or
  • Recent law students who graduated in the spring or summer of 2024.

Qualifications

Before making a selection, the FCC reviews many facets of a candidate's background as outlined below.  Graduating law students, recent law students who graduated in the spring or summer of 2024, and current judicial clerks with strong qualifications are encouraged to apply.

Current federal employees must meet one year of time in grade requirements. SF-50 must be provided to document time in grade.

Transcripts must be submitted to verify education.  If transcripts (official or unofficial) are not submitted, candidates will not be deemed eligible for this position.  If you are unsure if your school is accredited, please use the following link to verify:Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.

GS-11 QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Candidates must either (a) be enrolled in an accredited degree-seeking program in pursuit of a J.D., LL.M. or other graduate law degree and be scheduled to complete their course of study by the summer of 2025; or (b) have recently completed their J.D., LL.M. or other graduate law program in the spring or summer of 2024 or have successfully completed their J.D., LL.M. or other graduate law program and be currently serving as a judicial clerk. (See “General Eligibility Requirements” for additional criteria).

Transcripts must be submitted to verify education.  If transcripts (official or unofficial) are not submitted, candidates will not be deemed eligible for this position.  If you are unsure if your school is accredited, please use the following link to verify: Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.

NOTE: Candidates must have successfully completed their J.D. or LL.M. program by the summer of 2025 in order to be eligible for appointment as an Honors Attorney at the FCC.

GS-12/13 QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

Professional Law Experience: Professional law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled.  You must meet the minimum basic educational requirements for Honors Attorney positions.  Education requirements include:  a professional law degree, J.D., LL.B. or LL.M., or other graduate law program.

Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. 

GS-12

Applicants must have a minimum of one year of professional law experience and specialized experience in or equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, examples of specialized experience include the following:

  1. Conducting in-depth legal research
  2. Drafting legal documents and/or memoranda
  3. Providing input regarding the resolution of legal issues

GS-13

Applicants must possess at least two years of professional law experience and specialized experience and at least one year of the experience must be specialized experience which is at or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.  For this position, examples of specialized experience include the following:

  1. Experience interpreting laws, statutes, regulations and/or rule making documents
  2. Skill analyzing legal issues, identifying potential problems and proposing solutions
  3. Experience preparing legal documents to include briefs, legal memoranda, issue papers, and case summaries
  4. Ability to communicate legal issues/positions.

Qualifying Experience

Examples of qualifying experience include but are not limited to: academic achievement, writing skills, law review and/or moot court experience, clinic or extracurricular activities.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID 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.

Education

SEE INFORMATION OUTLINED UNDER THE SUBHEADING "QUALIFICATIONS".

Additional information

EEO Policy Statement

Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement

Veterans Information

Legal and Regulatory Guidance

If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you may be eligible for federal employment and may apply for the Honors Attorney Program if you fall into one of the following categories of individuals:

  • Individuals who are lawful permanent residents seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)(B);
  • Individuals who are admitted refugees under 8 U.S.C. 1157 or granted asylum under 8 U.S.C. 1158 and have filed a declaration of intention to become a lawful permanent resident and then a citizen when eligible; or
  • Individuals who owe allegiance to the United States (e.g., nationals of American Samoa, Swains Island.)

(Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260, Div. E, Title VII, § 704, December 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 1182.)

In addition to meeting one of the criteria listed above, you are still subject to the requirements of immigration law. You must provide documentation supporting your eligibility prior to being hired. If you are selected as an FCC Honors Attorney, you must also successfully complete a background investigation.

For more information about citizenship requirements for federal employment, please visit the Office of Personnel Management's website at https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/non-citizens. If you have additional questions about the eligibility of non-U.S. citizens for the FCC Attorney Honors Program, please contact Kristin Young in the FCC Office of Human Resources at Kristin.Young@fcc.gov. 

Other:
-  Before hiring, an agency will ask you to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.  The agency will also ask you to sign and certify the accuracy of all the information in your application.  If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or you may be fined or jailed. If you are a male over age 18 who was born after December 31, 1959, you must have registered with the Selective Service System (or have an exemption) to be eligible for a Federal job.

-  If applicable, you will be required to serve a trial period of one year.

-  In order for you to be employed at the FCC, there are certain Commission and Federal laws governing the financial interests of you and members of your immediate family. If selected for the position, you must submit a financial disclosure statement upon assuming the position.

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.

The FCC offers a wide range of employee benefits, including:

Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Dental & Vision Insurance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Long-Term Care Insurance
Holidays and Leave
Retirement
Thrift Savings Plan
Transit Benefit
Alternative Work Schedule
Telecommuting

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.

All candidates will be considered without regard to political or religious affiliation, marital status, race, color, sex, national origin, non-disqualifying physical or mental handicap, age, or any other non-merit factor.  THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

All applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality of experience and education relevant to the duties of the position.


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Required Documents

Each of the following documents should be submitted as a separate PDF file, with your last name as part of the file name.

  1. Cover letter 
  2. Resume  (We strongly prefer that you upload a standard professional resume rather than use the resume-builder.)
  3. Transcripts (official or unofficial)
  4. Writing sample (preferably not more than 15 pages)
  5. List of three professional references (including phone and e-mail address)

Applicants will be deemed ineligible if they do not provide any one of the documents outlined above.

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

For the Fall 2025 Attorney Honors Program, applicants should apply online using the Commission’s automated recruitment system. You must submit all necessary application materials identified in the announcement by the specified closing date. 

  • To expedite processing of your application, please save each of the required documents as a separate PDF file, with your last name as part of the file name.
  • Please review your application materials carefully; we will NOT be able to accommodate edits to your application once it is submitted.
  • We emphasize that your application, including your resume and all other required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of the vacancy announcement. The deadline for other main U.S. time zones is: 10:59 p.m. Central Time, 9:59 p.m. Mountain Time, and 8:59 p.m. Pacific Time.  Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  If applying online poses a hardship, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the vacancy announcement during business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time) prior to the closing date of the vacancy announcement. For more information on applying for federal jobs, please check this webpage https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.

Agency contact information

Kristin Young
Address
Federal Communications Commission
45 L Street NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20554
United States
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Selected applicants may be invited for interviews. The FCC reviews applications as quickly as possible. Our typical review and selection process involves both interviews and reference checks.

All positions for the Attorney Honors Program are located at the FCC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Honors Attorneys are placed in one of the agency's operating bureaus or offices.  Specific placements within the agency will be based on the participant’s interests and experience and the needs of the FCC.  Honors Attorneys may have the opportunity to rotate to a new placement within the agency after their first year. Participants who enter the fall 2025 class will be expected to begin their employment with the agency by September 2025.  At the end of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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