The Federal Trade Commission's Honors Attorney Rotation Program offers new law graduates and recent law graduates completing judicial clerkships or fellowships a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the FTC's diverse law practice. To be eligible for our next program starting in August 2024, you must be a U.S. citizen graduating from law school in Spring 2024 or completing a judicial clerkship or fellowship in Summer 2024.
Summary
The Federal Trade Commission's Honors Attorney Rotation Program offers new law graduates and recent law graduates completing judicial clerkships or fellowships a unique opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the FTC's diverse law practice. To be eligible for our next program starting in August 2024, you must be a U.S. citizen graduating from law school in Spring 2024 or completing a judicial clerkship or fellowship in Summer 2024.
These positions are located in the FTC's headquarters in Washington, DC. As part of the FTC Honors Attorney Program, you will gain experience in both the Bureau of Competition and the Bureau of Consumer Protection. Participants will be assigned to two Divisions - one in each Bureau - for 12 months each.
Bureau of Competition assignments will be to one of the following Divisions, depending on agency need: Mergers I, Mergers II, Mergers III, Mergers IV, Technology Enforcement, Anticompetitive Practices I, Anticompetitive Practices II, or Health Care.
Bureau of Consumer Protection assignments will be to one of the following Divisions, depending on agency need: Enforcement, Advertising Practices, Privacy and Identity Protection, Financial Practices, or Marketing Practices.
As an entry-level attorney, you will work under the close supervision of experienced attorneys. Supervisors will provide continual instructions and guidance regarding objectives, results to be obtained, methods to be utilized, and relevant policies and procedures. The ideal candidate is highly motivated to work in a challenging, fast-paced, and team-oriented environment.
As a participant in the FTC Honors Attorney Program, you will perform a variety of legal duties, which may include:
Conducting initial determinations as to whether matters should be investigated.
Developing investigatory plans.
Identifying relevant legal theories.
Conducting investigations to determine whether enforcement actions are warranted.
Researching complex legal and factual issues.
Developing and drafting letters, memoranda, and legal documents including complaints, subpoenas, and orders.
Engaging in various phases of civil litigation including discovery, motions practice, pretrial conferences, administrative or judicial hearings, and settlement negotiations.
Note: Upon successful completion of the program, depending on the agency's needs, you may be converted without a break in service to a permanent General Attorney appointment in the excepted service in the Bureau of Competition or the Bureau of Consumer Protection. The position may have a career ladder target up to the GS-15 grade level. There is no guarantee of a permanent position following this program.
U.S. citizenship requirement must be met by the closing date of this vacancy.
This position is subject to a background investigation.
Males born after December 31, 1959 must register with Selective Service.
Before entry into service, must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
Before entry into service as a General Attorney, must be a Member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory - US, PR, DC.
The position may be subject to completion of a two-year trial period.
This is an Excepted Service position.
You must be willing to relocate to the Washington, DC area.
This position is not in the bargaining unit.
Qualifications
To qualify for Grade 11, the applicant must:
Have completed two years at an accredited law school at the time of application.
Be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school with an expected Spring 2024 graduation with a J.D. degree.
Have a law school G.P.A. of at least 3.0 (for schools on a 4.0 scale).
Demonstrate superior law student work or activities such as:
Academic standing in the upper third of the student's class OR
Work or achievement of significance on the law review or other official journal of the student's law school OR
Special high-level honors for academic excellence in law school OR
Winning a moot court competition or participating on the moot court team that represents the law school in competition with other law schools OR
Full-time or continuous participation in a law school clinic or legal services program OR
At least two years of summer law clerk experience OR
Other equivalent evidence of clearly superior academic or professional achievement.
Before entry into service, be a graduate of an ABA-accredited law school with a J.D. degree.
Note: an applicant who has graduated from an ABA-accredited law school with a J.D. degree, but who has not yet been admitted to a state bar, may be selected for a Law Clerk GS-0904-11 position. Appointment as a Law Clerk is limited to 14 months, during which time the appointee must be admitted in good standing to the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory. Upon admission to the bar, the position will be converted to a GS-0905-11 term appointment for the remainder of the program's two-year term.
To qualify for Grade 12, the applicant must:
Be a graduate of an ABA-accredited law school with a J.D. degree.
Have a law school G.P.A. of at least 3.0 for schools on a 4.0 scale.
Be working as a judicial clerk during the 2023-24 term.
Be expected to have at least 12, and no more than 23, months of professional legal work experience as a judicial clerk by September 2024.
Before entry into service, be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory.
Education
MANDATORY EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: In order to qualify for the GS-11 position, candidates must have successfully completed at least two full years of graduate study at an ABA-accredited law school, and must be currently enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school with an expected Spring 2024 graduation with a J.D. degree.
You must submit a copy of your transcripts. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package; however, official transcripts will be required prior to receiving an official offer.
Additional information
This position is in the Excepted Service (Schedule A).
Individuals applying for this announcement are required to complete and submit an online application and all supporting documentation through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) application system, USAJOBS. Traditional rating and ranking procedures do not apply.
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.
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.
You will be evaluated based on the overall strength of your credentials as demonstrated by your cover letter, resume, law school transcript(s), writing sample, and references. The most qualified candidates will be selected for interviews, which will also be considered in making the final decision.
Application of Veterans' Preference:
There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Federal Trade Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. If you are eligible for veterans' preference, you are encouraged to include that information in your cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., DD Form 214 or other substantiating documents) to your submission.
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.
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.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
2. Other supporting documents:
Cover Letter - REQUIRED
Writing Sample - REQUIRED - submitted with application in USA Jobs.
List of three references - REQUIRED
Graduate Transcript(s), if the position has an education requirement - REQUIRED
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g., DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF- 15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. 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 resume 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/.
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Suite H-723
Washington, DC 20580
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Capital Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment and duties performed.
2. Other supporting documents:
Cover Letter - REQUIRED
Writing Sample - REQUIRED - submitted with application in USA Jobs.
List of three references - REQUIRED
Graduate Transcript(s), if the position has an education requirement - REQUIRED
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g., DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service, SF- 15 Form and related documentation, VA letter, etc.)
Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.)
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. 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 resume 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/.
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Suite H-723
Washington, DC 20580
US
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Capital Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
