Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all U.S. Citizens and located in Kansas City, MO.

Videos

The Division of Enforcement is responsible for conducting investigations and enforcement activities pursuant to the provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (Act) and the rules and regulations adopted by the Commission thereunder (Regulations). These include investigating suspected violations of said statute, rules, and regulations, conducting administrative proceedings before the Commission itself, and conducting civil actions in federal district courts including injunctive and subpoena enforcement actions.

If selected, you will join a well-respected team, serving as a trial attorney, responsible for supporting the Act and Regulations adopted by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). 

At the full performance level, the duties include:

• Investigating suspected violations of the Act and Regulations by taking investigative testimony, interviewing witnesses, acquiring and reviewing documentary information, and analyzing the evidence to determine whether violations of the Act and Regulations have occurred;
• Litigating all phases of CFTC enforcement actions against defendants in U.S. District Courts including writing federal court complaints and Commission litigation recommendation memoranda; propounding and responding to written discovery; taking and defending depositions; researching, writing and arguing motions before federal district court judges; and representing the CFTC at trials and other proceedings; and
• Engaging in cooperative enforcement by working in parallel with other federal and state agencies including, among others, the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship
• Background/Security Investigation
• Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered for Selective Service
• Required to serve a 2-year trial period

Bar Membership: Currently an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Applicants are responsible for citing minimum qualifications such as JD and/or LLM equivalent and Bar membership information (institution name, state for bar, and dates) on their respective resumes. Failure to supply details will result in an incomplete application.

You must answer each qualification question for the grade or grades you wish to be considered for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify at each grade level, you must have the following: 

CT-13: You must have a J.D. and/or LLM equivalent Degree, bar membership and three years of relevant legal practice experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of a legal position. Relevant experience is defined as an attorney, law clerk, or other legal experience which was obtained subsequent to graduation from law school.

Qualifying experience may include: demonstrating excellent writing and critical thinking skills; participating in investigations; interviewing witnesses; reviewing documents; researching and writing legal memoranda and litigation documents; knowledge of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence; developing case strategy; drafting initial pleadings; engaging in all aspects of discovery; deposition preparation; conducting depositions; and assisting senior attorneys in preparation of trial in federal court, and participating in trials.

CT-14: You must have a J.D. and/or LLM equivalent Degree, bar membership and four years of relevant of legal practice experience, acquired after being admitted to the bar, commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of a legal position. Relevant experience is defined as an attorney, law clerk, or other legal experience which was obtained subsequent to graduation from law school.  

Qualifying experience may include: demonstrating excellent writing and critical thinking skills; leading investigations; taking primary responsibility in interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents, and researching and writing legal memoranda and litigation documents; substantial knowledge of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence; developing case strategy; drafting initial pleadings; engaging in all aspects of discovery; deposition preparation; conducting depositions; having primary responsibility in preparing for and conducting trials; briefing senior managers or clients on factual developments and legal theories of ongoing investigations and litigations.

Selections may be made at either grade level.

How you will be evaluated

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

This job is being filled under a Schedule A hiring authority 5 C.F.R. § 213.3102 and is excepted from the competitive civil service. You will be evaluated and deemed either eligible or ineligible based on the relevance and quality of your experience and education, bar membership, and desired qualifications described above. These positions are not covered by the usual civil service hiring procedures. There is no numerical rating system through which to apply veterans' preference; however, CFTC considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference are encouraged to include that information in their cover letter or resume, and to attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD Form-214 or other substantiating documents) to their submissions. All eligible applicants will be further evaluated by subject-matter experts.

Your resume will be referred to the selecting official for the initial review of qualifications. This does not certify that you are qualified for the position. A qualification analysis will be conducted by the HR Specialist to ensure the selectee meets all requirements, including education and minimum qualifications listed on the vacancy announcement. A complete application package is required to be considered qualified and eligible for selection. A complete package must include a resume, bar membership details, law school transcripts and any other applicable documents relevant to the position or listed on the vacancy announcement. Please review the "Requirements" section of the vacancy announcement to understand the list of require documents for a complete application package. Additional information may be requested later in the recruitment process.  All required documents must be submitted prior to receiving a final offer.