Attorney Advisor (Investigative Counsel)

The position is located in the Federal Maritime Commission, Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance. The incumbent of this position serves as an Investigative Counsel relating to investigations and related enforcement actions pursuant to the Shipping Act of 1984 as amended, 46 U.S.C. § 40101, et seq. and the implementing regulations.

Duties

The duties of an Investigative Counsel include a broad legal practice that centers around uncovering and advising on potential misconduct of regulated entities under the Federal Maritime Commission's jurisdiction as well as providing enforcement-related legal advice on Shipping Act-related enforcement matters.

As an Investigative Counsel you will:

• Provide expertise in investigation and in potential enforcement-related litigation under the Shipping Act.
• Investigate and administratively prosecute Shipping Act violations, including conducting fact-finding and non-adjudicatory investigations; develop and follow leads; conduct interviews with witnesses and subjects; participate in discovery; and participate in motions practice and briefing before administrative law judges and the Federal Maritime Commission.
• Draft investigative and enforcement-related documents and other materials to support Shipping Act-related investigations and prosecutions, including drafting investigative plans, audit letters, subpoenas and other document requests, legal memoranda, and memoranda of activity.
• Review emails and other documentary evidence gathered in connection with investigation into possible Shipping Act violations and be able to organize that evidence into a compelling case narrative.
• Conduct legal research and advise Bureau leadership on substantive legal matters encountered during investigations and enforcement, including determining legal precedent applicable to investigations, applying applicable laws to specific fact patterns, and assessing sufficiency of evidence following investigative activities.

Salary

• $85,447 - $197,200/year

Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

In addition to the above minimum requirements, you must meet the following:

GS-12: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D) or the second professional law degree (LL.M.); and specialized professional legal experience in excess of two (2) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

GS-13: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D) or the second professional law degree (LL.M.); and specialized professional legal experience in excess of three (3) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.

GS-14: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D) or the second professional law degree (LL.M.); and specialized professional legal experience in excess of four (4) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

GS-15: The first professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D) or the second professional law degree (LL.M.); and specialized professional legal experience in excess of five (5) years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

Education Applicants must have a professional law degree (LLB or JD) from a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA). You must submit a copy of both your law school and college transcript with your application. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. Official transcripts will be required if you are selected for the position. 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; applicant's resumes and supporting documentation should only reflect education received from schools accredited by such institutions. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following Website: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov. Attorney's appointed in the excepted service are required to maintain active membership in a bar within U.S. jurisdiction, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia. Active bar association and a certificate that the member is in good standing will be verified prior to appointment and employees must maintain active bar membership in good standing while employed as an attorney with the FMC. Attorneys must provide documentation supporting active membership and good standing status (or equivalent) on at least an annual basis. Other Information Relocation expenses will not be paid. You will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across FMC. The Commission encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the FMC mission. This is appointment in the excepted service and will be filled on a full-time permanent basis. Employees hired under an Excepted Service appointment are required to serve a two (2) year trial period, unless already completed. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.This position does not confer non-competitive conversion to the competitive service. Acceptance of an excepted service appointment from applicants in the competitive service will require a written statement of understanding when voluntarily leaving the competitive service. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Reasonable accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact listed on the vacancy announcement. The decision to grant a reasonable accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the FMC considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their application submission documentation. All employees of the Federal government are subject to the conflict-of-interest statutes and regulations including the Standards of Ethical Conduct that govern activities with outside organizations and reporting financial holdings. This position may require the incumbent to complete a confidential financial disclosure report within 30 days of appointment. 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. Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES) showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of your qualifications, you will not receive consideration for the position.
2. Cover letter (of no more than 2 pages) that clearly indicates your relevant experience in rulemaking, litigation, and/or antitrust and competition review.
3. This position has a basic education requirement; you must submit a copy of your official or unofficial law school Transcripts for further consideration. An official transcript is required before being appointed.
4. Proof of current and active BAR Membership in good standing. During the initial review of applications, the Agency will accept photocopies of BAR Membership Cards or screenshots providing proof of active membership in a BAR Association that reflects the bar's jurisdiction or territory, the attorney's full name, bar number, date of admission, and bar status (i.e. active, inactive, retired, etc.).
5. Please provide a copy of your most recent SF-50, if applicable, "Notification of Personnel Action" which shows your appointment eligibility for the position for which you are applying. Your most recent Promotion, Within Rate Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing your career/career-conditional status, title, series and grade (do not submit an Award SF-50). Also provide the SF-50 that reflects the highest grade level held on a permanent basis or the full performance level of your current position, whichever is higher.
6. Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable.
7. Copy of one recent Legal Writing Sample, of no more than 10 pages reflecting your ability to clearly state, analyze, and discuss complex factual and legal issues.
8. Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50.
9. Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service); Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.

Failure to submit documents required may result in loss of consideration.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

• The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on the closing date of this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST, Monday - Friday). If applying online poses a hardship, please contact us by noon EST on the announcement's closing date.
• To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
• Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.
• It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
• To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
• To return to saved application at a later date, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.