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Duties

Summary

The General Counsel is the Chief Legal Officer of the Commission and heads the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The Appellate Group represents the Commission in civil litigation in the U.S. Courts of Appeals and, in conjunction with the Solicitor General, in the U.S. Supreme Court in civil litigation involving enforcement and challenges to federal securities laws.
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Responsibilities
- Provides legal support for multiple attorneys in the Appellate Group.
- Performs substantive citation verification to ensure that both record and legal citations and quotations in briefs and documents are accurate and relevant.
- Conforms citations to required "Blue Book" format.
- Prepares, identifies, marks, and compiles appendices, exhibits, including visual aids, and exhibits to be filed or used in court.
- Prepares the certified index of the administrative record in appeals from Commission rules or orders.
- Performs legal research using online information in systems such as PACER, LexisNexis, Westlaw, and other legal resources.
- Prepares court filings, briefs, and other legal documents and memoranda in coordination with attorney staff.
- Communicates clearly and concisely complex and technical information to attorneys and others in the Commission, both orally and in writing.
Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential

12
Job family (Series)

0950 Paralegal Specialist
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- Paralegals
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Requirements

Conditions of Employment
- You must be a US Citizen.
- Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
- Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement.
- This position has promotion potential to the SK-12.
- PROBATIONARY PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a one-year probationary period.
- SECURITY CLEARANCE: Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. Favorable results on a Background Investigation may be a condition of employment or selection to another position.
- DRUG TESTING: This position may be subjected to drug testing requirements.
- PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS): Moving/Relocation expenses are not authorized.
- DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
- This position is in the collective bargaining unit.
Qualifications
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-in-grade for this announcement is one year at the GS/SK-11 level.

Qualifying experience may be obtained in the private or public sector. 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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT:

SK-12: Applicant must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-11 level. Specialized experience includes the following:
1. Conducting legal research using online legal research applications and databases; and
2. Preparing appendices to be filed in court; and
3. Performing substantive citation verification of both record and legal citations.
Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, please visit http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) and Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) are available to individuals who have special priority selection rights under this plan. Individuals must be well-qualified for this position to receive consideration for special priority selection. CTAP or ICTAP eligibles will be considered well-qualified when receiving an adjudicated score of 80 or higher.

*SEC EMPLOYEES: OHR will verify your competitive service eligibility via the SEC's personnel database.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, you must be a preference eligible or a Veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions.

LAND MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE FLEXIBILITY ACT (LMWFA): The LMWFA provides current or former temporary or term employees of federal land management agencies opportunity to compete for permanent competitive service positions. Individuals must have more than 24 months of service without a break between appointments of two or more years. Service must be in the competitive service and have been at a successful level of performance or better. For more information, click here.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: For more information on noncompetitive appointment authority eligibility requirements:
SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: For questions regarding SEC pay setting practices, please click here.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation for disability to participate in the application process at the SEC, submit the form for Reasonable Accommodation for Participation in Job Application Process here. Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, sex (not limited to conduct which is sexual in nature, includes pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender status), age (40 and over), religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, retaliation for participating in the EEO process or opposing discrimination. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.

TTY/ASCII: Video Relay Service users are welcome to contact the appropriate SEC office or employee via the contact information listed above. If you do not otherwise have access to a Video Phone or Video Relay service, you may send us an email or use the Federal Video Relay Service via the internet. For more information about using the Federal Relay Service and to create a new account, please see: http://fedvrs.us/
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How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):
- Legal and Factual Research, Legal Support, Oral Communication, Organizing and Prioritizing, and Written Communication
The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To preview the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10928680.
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Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance

Other

Drug test required

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)

Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness
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Required Documents
You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
- Required: Your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire.
- Required: Your complete and comprehensive resume that includes a complete history of your work experience and the applicable employment dates with months and years. To determine if you qualify for this position, OHR will review your work history that is relevant to the specific position for which you applied. If you are an external candidate selected for this position, OHR will review your complete work history to establish your starting salary. If you are a current SEC employee selected for this position, the standard percentage increases will be applied (i.e., 6% for non-supervisory positions) if your selection results in a promotion. If your selection results in lateral movement (i.e. no change in grade) you will maintain your current salary. Note: Your resume must directly address the definition of specialized experience listed in the qualification section of this announcement and must NOT contain pictures. For external candidates: Information on how your resume will be used for pay setting purposes can be found here.
- Required, if you are a current or former Federal employee*: A recent copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing title, series, grade, and full performance level (FPL). Your SF-50 must also demonstrate your eligibility for a competitive service position. Note: If you are in the excepted service, your current agency must have an interchange agreement with OPM - for a list of agencies with current interchange agreements please click here.
- Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.)
- Required, if applicable: VEOA documentation (DD-214, member 4 copy or other documentation containing dates of service and character of discharge.)
- Required, if applicable: Special Hiring Authority eligibility documentation (VA letter, Schedule A eligibility letter, Peace Corp letter, etc)
- Required, if applicable: Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act supporting documentation.
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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. Learn 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.
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How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
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Agency contact information

ask HR

Email

askHR@sec.gov

Address

Office of the General Counsel
100 F Street NE
Washington, DC 20549
US

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Next steps

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application."

By submitting your application, you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired, you may be terminated after you begin work, or you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. You will be required to submit official documentation before appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, Veterans' Preference, certification of disability, etc.).

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Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is setup to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) for federal employees & job applicants
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Reasonable Accommodation Policy
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job duties or receive equal access to job benefits.

Under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodations when:
- An applicant with a disability needs an accommodation to have an equal opportunity to apply for a job.
- An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to perform the essential job duties or to gain access to the workplace.
- An employee with a disability needs an accommodation to receive equal access to benefits, such as details, training, and office-sponsored events.
You can request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application or hiring process or while on the job. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Learn more about disability employment and reasonable accommodations or how to contact an agency.
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Legal and regulatory guidance

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/580816000. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

PARALEGAL SPECIALIST

Office of the General Counsel

Overview

Open & closing dates

Service

Pay scale & grade

Salary

Appointment type

Work schedule

Location

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Telework eligible

Duties

Summary

Responsibilities

Travel Required

Supervisory status

Promotion Potential

Job family (Series)

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