Special Counsel To The Clerk Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. USCA-24-14 Department U.S. Courts
Salary $131,150.00 to $191,900.00 Grade 31 to 31
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 11/1/2024 Close Date 2/1/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The Office of the Clerk, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, has an immediate opening for a highly qualified attorney to serve as Special Counsel to the Clerk. A member of the Clerk's Office senior management team, the Special Counsel interacts frequently with judges and chambers' personnel.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens or persons eligible to work in the United States are eligible to apply to this posting. Open Until Filled. To ensure consideration, submit application by November 22, 2024. Interviews will begin immediately. Please note that a Security Clearance is not required when submitting applications.

Duties

  • Providing procedural and substantive legal advice to the Court and Clerk's Office staff.
  • Conducting research on legal questions posed by judges and the Clerk and preparing memoranda on the results of the research.
  • Supervising a paralegal.
  • Advising and assisting the Calendar Clerk and Opinions Clerk.
  • Administering the attorney and amicus curiae appointment process.
  • Overseeing the handling of post-dispositional petitions and motions.
  • Drafting and proofreading per curiam orders and judgments and Clerk's orders.
  • Responding to inquiries from chambers and the public.
  • Reviewing electronic and paper submissions to the Court to determine where to transmit them for disposition.
  • Coordinating en banc matters.
  • Handling out-of-circuit assignments and Special Master appointments.
  • Directing the preparation of correspondence to attorneys, litigants, other courts, and the public concerning requests for action or information.
  • Serving as liaison to the district court and Supreme Court.
  • Providing after-hours supervisory duty for emergency matters.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Because the D.C. Circuit entertains a large number of high-profile and sealed cases, employees are subject to strict confidentiality requirements. Employees must adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.

In addition, your continued employment is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background check. The successful completion of a Department of Justice security clearance is also required.

Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work for the United States government.

Qualifications

The caseload of the D.C. Circuit involves virtually every area of federal law and is unique in the number of cases filed against the executive branch. Because the Special Counsel must be able to advise the judges, Clerk, and others on difficult, varied, and important legal issues, the Court is highly selective in its hiring. The court is looking for an experienced attorney who has demonstrated the ability to analyze complex legal issues quickly and to communicate clearly, both orally and in writing.

Prior experience working for a federal court, especially in a Clerk's Office or a Staff Attorney Office, is preferred. A judicial clerkship, law review membership, or comparable legal research and writing experience is helpful. Other desirable qualifications include litigation experience and graduation in the top 25% of your law school class.

Education

At a minimum, applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be a member of the bar of a state or the District of Columbia, and have at least four years of specialized experience gained after graduation from law school, including at least one year equivalent to work at the CL-30. Specialized experience for this position is progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, in legal research, legal administration, or equivalent experience, gained after graduation from law school.

Educational Substitutions:

The following may be credited as one year of specialized experience:

  • Graduation in the upper third of class from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools;
  • Membership on the editorial board of a law review of such a school;
  • Graduation from a law school on the approved list of the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools with an advanced degree (LLM or equivalent); or
  • Demonstrated proficiency in legal studies which, in the opinion of the appointing official, is the equivalent of the above.

Additional information

The selected applicant will serve a one-year probationary period. All positions in the Clerk's Office are excepted appointments and are "At-Will." The United States Court of Appeals is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. The selected applicant will be subject to mandatory electronic transfer of funds for payment of net pay. The United States Courthouse is a smoke-free building.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Applicants will also be evaluated based on their application and an interview.

Required Documents

Please read the "How to Apply" section.

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

Email a cover letter (addressed to Felicia Powell, Human Resources Specialist), resume, law school transcript, and self-edited writing sample as a single PDF attachment to VacancySpecialCounsel@cadc.uscourts.gov. Please include the vacancy announcement number (USCA-24-14) in the subject line of the email.

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Address
US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit
333 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Interviews will begin immediately. Due to the large volume of applications, the Court will send a letter regarding the status of an application only to those candidates scheduled for interviews. When the position is filled, a notice will be placed on the court's internet site.


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


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