Duties
Using a working knowledge of copyright law, civil procedure, and the litigation procedures of applicable federal courts and agencies, performs legal research and analysis of legal decisions, opinions, rulings, and memoranda and regulations, selecting from these materials pertinent principles of law before preparing memoranda or digests of the points of law at issue. May make recommendations of courses of action to follow, subject to attorney review and approval. Subject to attorney review, analyzes facts and legal questions presented by Copyright Office personnel administering specific Federal laws or Copyright Office Regulations, providing answers in those cases where the matter has been settled by precedents or agency policy, and, in some instances, prepares informative and instructive materials for general use.
Selects, assembles, summarizes, and compiles substantive, including legislative histories, by use of statutes, regulations, digests, commentaries, legal instruments, legal information and other legal reference material.
Keeps abreast of current public policy and legal developments of interest to the Copyright Office legal team through communications with attorneys and through available professional resources.
Prepares materials for civil litigation, including the collection and assembly of material to form the administrative record or relevant discovery in litigation, and assists with search, review, and processing. This may include working with experts, particularly statistical experts, to assemble and analyze evidence.
Prepares litigation reports in connection with lawsuits filed against the agency. Summarizes the factual situation, the basis of the complaint, legal issues presented, and relevant case law. Collects additional facts from staff. Prepares various affidavits or other memoranda or statements (e.g., on action taken by staff, failure of plaintiff to exhaust administrative remedies). Obtains answers to interrogatories and matters relative to discovery.
Under attorney supervision, using working knowledge of copyright and administrative law, responds to inquiries from Copyright Office personnel and other persons regarding the applicability of federal laws and the Copyright Office regulations to various situations, directing his/her attention to the policy which may be used in the decision-making process. Assists attorneys in drafting and reviewing proposed regulations and other submissions to the Federal Register, and, policy-related and congressionally directed documents, including cite-checking, blue-booking, proofing, and formatting materials. Follows and implements Copyright Office standard operating procedures to implement regulatory changes, including updating procedures as necessary. Helps maintain office-wide style guide for regulatory and policy documents.
Prepares official written materials for posting on copyright.gov, Newsnet, social media, or intranet, and communicates and collaborates with all relevant departments within the Library/Copyright Office to further the communication goals of the Copyright Office.
Applies specialized knowledge of document production software and formatting conventions to prepare, finalize, and produce legal documents and official materials in compliance with applicable style guides and submission requirements.
Keeps abreast of current and emerging information technology tools used in legal research, document management, and project management.
Monitors civil dockets in cases where the Copyright Office is a party, or the government may otherwise have an interest in the copyright matter being litigated and communicates with other relevant personnel. Works with assigned attorneys and other agencies to facilitate timely Copyright Office filings before federal courts.
Monitors statutory filings under sections 411 and 508 of the Copyright Act, evaluating submissions for compliance and notifying responsible parties of deficiencies or routing matters to the appropriate attorney-advisor for evaluation. Tracks and calculates filing deadlines for all active litigation matters, with complex deadline calculations subject to attorney review, monitoring applicable court rules, local rules, and standing orders to ensure timely action. Prepares formal case status reports and communicates developments to the legal team, working with attorneys and staff to capture and maintain an accurate, current picture of each active matter.
Performs document management, creating, maintaining, and ensuring the accuracy of legal documents and case files. Manages the organization and improvement of file management systems in coordination with attorneys and administrative staff. Prepares periodic status reports on case tracking, regulatory, policy, or other departmental activity, including assisting with budgeting and strategic planning efforts as directed.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
Conditions of Employment
Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.
Qualifications
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
Ability to Perform Legal Research and Analysis Related to Copyright and Federal Law.**
Ability to Draft and Proofread Legal Materials and Official Communications.**
Ability to monitor civil dockets and legal filings.**
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships and interact collaboratively with others.
Ability to utilize technology to support legal professionals.
Ability to plan, organize and execute work.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing
Education
There are no education requirements for this vacancy.
Additional information
Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid at step one of the grade.
The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer.
Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.
Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation. For more information, please see:Vetting Process
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.
The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.
The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.
Initial permanent appointments to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period. Probationary periods served at other Federal agencies do not count toward this requirement.
The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit.
A “Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.
Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.