The Attorney Honors Program (AHP) 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 and current judicial clerks with superior academic credentials and an interest in public service and communications law to apply. Visit www.fcc.gov/attorneyhonorsprogram for details.
Summary
The Attorney Honors Program (AHP) 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 and current judicial clerks with superior academic credentials and an interest in public service and communications law to apply. Visit www.fcc.gov/attorneyhonorsprogram for details.
Term - Excepted Term Appointment Not to Exceed 2 years. Failure to pass the Bar exam within 14 months of appointment will result in termination of the appointment.
Work schedule
Full-time - This is a full-time position. Work schedules, including telework, are at the discretion of the supervisor, consistent with agency policy and reentry planning.
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
11 - This position is at the full performance level
Honors Attorneys gain valuable experience and benefit from a wide variety of learning experiences. Attorneys at the FCC draft decisions in adjudicatory and rulemaking 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 prepare or draft legal documents, reports, and memoranda for use by senior attorneys in the preparation of opinions and decisions, or the handling of quasi-legislative or adjudicative proceedings;
Study the record in cases pending before the agency and prepare initial drafts on the law and facts;
Research legal and policy matters involved in special projects, including interpretations of treaties, statutes, and regulations; assist in the preparation of 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.
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 cover letter
Must submit a resume (standard format preferred rather than resume-builder)
Must submit an official of 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)
General Eligibility Requirements. You are eligible to apply during the fall application window for the 2024 Attorney Honors Program if you are a:
Current law student who will graduate in the spring or summer of 2024
Graduate law student who will complete your course of study by the summer of 2024; or
Federal, state, or municipal judicial clerk serving during the 2023-24 judicial term.
Qualifications
Before making a selection, the FCC reviews many facets of a candidate's background as outlined below. Graduating law students and current judicial clerks with strong qualifications are encouraged to apply. (Current judicial clerks should apply to the companion vacancy announcement "HonorsAtty-OGC-2023-002".)
Current federal employees must meet one year of time in grade requirements.
Education
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 2024; or (b) 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 2024 in order to be eligible for appointment as an Honors Attorney at the FCC.
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, and interest in government service and/or the communications industry.
If you are not a U.S. Citizen, you may be eligible for federal employment and may apply for the Honors 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://www.usajobs.gov/Help/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.
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.
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.
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.
For the Fall 2024 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/index.php/Main_Page.
Federal Communications Commission
45 L Street NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20554
United States
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. 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 2024 class will be expected to begin their employment with the agency by September 2024.
All appointed candidates are required to pass the Bar exam within 14 months of their appointment. At the end of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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.
For the Fall 2024 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/index.php/Main_Page.
Federal Communications Commission
45 L Street NE
Washington, District of Columbia 20554
United States
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. 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 2024 class will be expected to begin their employment with the agency by September 2024.
All appointed candidates are required to pass the Bar exam within 14 months of their appointment. At the end of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys will be eligible for consideration for continued employment at the FCC.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
