The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent Federal agency that provides the President and Congress with high-quality analysis and technical support on international trade, tariff and competitiveness issues; investigates and makes determinations in proceedings involving imports claimed to injure a domestic industry or violate U.S. intellectual property rights; and maintains the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
Summary
The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent Federal agency that provides the President and Congress with high-quality analysis and technical support on international trade, tariff and competitiveness issues; investigates and makes determinations in proceedings involving imports claimed to injure a domestic industry or violate U.S. intellectual property rights; and maintains the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
This opportunity is located in the Office of Commissioner Kearns of the U.S. International Trade Commission. The Commissioner seeks a candidate who is thorough and detail-oriented, with experience in the substantive areas of section 337 (intellectual property and unfair competition law), or Title VII law, or both areas.
The ideal candidate would possess experience in work involving either Section 337 or Title VII, or both areas, with a record of superior achievement in legal education. The candidate would possess superior writing, communication, and organizational skills, and the ability to handle large volumes of information with attention to detail, and with minimal supervision. Knowledge of relevant trade statutes and economic concepts commonly applied on ITC investigations is preferred.
With regard to investigations brought under Section 337, you will provide analysis and advice related to investigations pertaining to intellectual property rights (particularly patents) and unfair methods of competition brought under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended. Knowledge and experience in section 337 investigations is required, as are strong writing and communication skills. In particular, you will be responsible for reviewing briefs, ALJ decisions, hearing transcripts and other investigation-related documents and evidence in assigned 337 cases. You also will be responsible for analyzing the relevant issues and preparing memoranda in order to advise the Commissioner on assigned 337 matters such as Commission review of ALJ determinations and final disposition. You also will represent the Commissioner in discussions with other Commissioner offices and the Office of the General Counsel regarding substantive issues arising in section 337 investigations.
With regard to investigations brought under Title VII, you will serve as an analyst and advisor in analyzing and reviewing staff reports, legal briefs, hearing testimony and other investigation-related documents. You will be responsible for drafting memoranda to assist the Commissioner in preparing for hearings, briefings, and votes, as well as opinions related to Title VII investigations. You also will be responsible for reviewing and suggesting proposed edits to draft economic reports prepared by ITC staff pursuant to various statutory authorities. Knowledge of relevant trade statutes and economic concepts commonly applied in ITC investigations and strong writing and communication skills are strongly preferred.
You also may be asked to assist in certain administrative tasks such as budget and expenditure plan review and will be responsible for providing general assistance in the Commissioner's Office's role of facilitating and coordinating the work of the Commission.
NOTE: This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer rights to permanent Civil Service status. The initial appointment is for two-years and can be renewed for a total of four-years.
Ability to obtain and maintain a background investigation
You are required to serve a two-year trial period.
Graduation from an American Bar Association-accredited law school
You will be required to submit proof of your active Bar membership (e.g., Bar card, certificate of good standing, attorney-directory listing, signed certification by the applicant).
You may be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement.
Qualifications
In addition to the specialized experience and educational requirements below, applicants must currently be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
You will be required to submit proof of your Bar membership as part of your application package to show that you meet this requirement. Any offer is contingent on receipt of a letter or certificate of good standing for each bar of which the applicant is an active member dated within 30 days of any offer.
Applicants must meet all of the qualification requirements, including education and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. Education may only be substituted in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must have the general and specialized experience outlined below that provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
To qualify at the GS-14 level, applicants must have at least four years of experience that have provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. This experience consists of the following: district court practice and/or appellate litigation concerning intellectual property; unfair trade investigations conducted under the authority of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930; and/or under Title VII in regard to experience interpreting statutes, regulations, court decisions, and agency determinations OR one (1) year of general experience which is defined as professional legal experience of a broad, general nature, not requiring specialization or expertise in a specific area or type of law AND three (3) years of specialized experience which is defined as professional legal experience in areas such as: appellate litigation; conducting legal research and preparing legal documents; developing research strategies for complex legal issues; writing complex documents such as briefs, issue papers, orders, rulemaking items, and report summaries with analyses and recommendations (writing sample may be required during the second level review); making oral presentations, communicating legal research results, and defending legal positions; and experience providing legal guidance to attorneys and other professionals related to international trade.
To qualify at the GS-15 level, applicants must have at least five years of experience that have provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. This experience consist of the following: district court practice and/or appellate litigation concerning intellectual property; unfair trade investigations conducted under the authority of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and/or Title VII regarding experience interpreting statutes, regulations, court decisions and agency determinations; OR one (1) year of general experience which is defined as professional legal experience of a broad, general nature, not requiring specialization or expertise in a specific area or type of law; AND four (4) years of specialized experience which is defined as professional legal experience in areas such as: appellate litigation; overseeing and/or leading others in analyzing complex issues affecting federal regulatory matters and questions of law and fact and rendering opinions on such issues; directing and conducting in-depth, complex legal research on authorities and precedents on points of law; reviewing and analyzing pleadings and other position papers on controversial and complex issues; writing and directing others in writing detailed and complex documents including briefs, issue papers, reports, policy statements, and summaries with recommendations or conclusions (writing sample may be required during the second level review); and providing legal guidance to attorneys and other professionals related to international trade.
Education
Education Requirement:
All applicants must possess a first professional law degree: J.D. or LL.B from an American Bar Association Law School, or equivalent training. Equivalent training is training permitted in some states in lieu of attendance at a law school. To be acceptable, this training must be of the kind and nature required by the state in which the bar exam is taken. A copy of your transcript(s) is required to show proof that you meet this requirement. Please see the Required Documents section of the announcement for more specific information.
Submit a copy of your transcript(s) or list of courses with credit hours, major(s) and grade-point average or class ranking. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials: http://www.naces.org/members.htm.
Additional information
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period (excepted service) during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
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.
1. If you are a male applicant who was born after December 31, 1959, you are required to certify that you are registered with the Selective Service or are exempt under Selective Service regulations. For additional information concerning Selective Service requirements, please visit www.sss.gov.
2. Time period to meet qualifications: All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
3. Verification of information: Any information claimed on your resume and in application materials, such as education, credentials and employment history will be verified as part of the security clearance process.
4. Excepted service appointments: This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer rights to permanent Civil Service status.
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.
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.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
LEGAL KNOWLEDGE
LEGAL ANALYSIS AND REVIEW
ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
BASIS OF RATING: Your resume, proof of bar membership, and transcripts serves as the basis for qualification determinations and must highlight your most relevant and significant work experience(s) and education (if applicable) as it relates to this job opportunity. In order to fully evaluate your application and receive proper credit, your resume should include: (1) paid and non-paid experience, job title, dates held (month and year for qualifying purposes to receive credit), number of hours worked per week, and salary (2) knowledge of the subject matter and technical skills pertinent to this position; (3) specific duties performed that fully detail the level and complexity of the work; and (4) names and phone numbers of your current and/or previous supervisor(s). Your resume should contain sufficient information to make a valid determination that you fully meet the basic/specialized experience requirements as stated in this job opportunity announcement for each grade level(s) for which you are applying.If you are selected for an interview, you can expect a structured panel interview process, which will include between 2 and 4 members.
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.
1. Resume: Your resume may be in any written format you choose. To be sufficient, it should contain the required information as specified in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. Insufficient resumes, or resumes that contain inappropriate information, such as privacy information or photographs, will result in an ineligible rating.
2. Occupation Questionnaire: You must submit a completed job-specific occupational assessment questionnaire through your Application Manager account.
3. Proof of Bar Membership: You must provide documentation that you are a member of the Bar of a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia. If you are made an offer, you must submit a Certificate of Good Standing dated within 30 days of the offer.
4. Transcripts: You must submit a copy of your transcript(s), as specified under the Education section of this announcement. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application purposes, provided they show your classes, grades, dates of attendance and award of any degree. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
5. SF-50: If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a copy of an SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," which documents your highest permanent grade/step/salary held.
6. Performance Appraisal: If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal dated within 18 months. If you do not have one, you must submit an explanatory statement.
7. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney positions, which are in the excepted service; however, the Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring of all positions. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include such information in their cover letter, or resume, and submit supporting documents (e.g. DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active duty) as part of their application package. Although the point preference system is not used as in the competitive service, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15), and documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed, as listed on the SF-15. Specific information is available on the Office of Personnel Management website at: http://www.opm.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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 occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
You must submit your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/11/2026 to receive consideration.
1. 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 other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation before the closing date.
3. To verify that 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.
4. To return to an incomplete application, 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.
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the More Information link under the application status for this position.
You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:
Upon receipt of your application
Upon minimum qualifications determination
After candidates have been referred to the hiring official
Once a selection has been made
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
1. Resume: Your resume may be in any written format you choose. To be sufficient, it should contain the required information as specified in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. Insufficient resumes, or resumes that contain inappropriate information, such as privacy information or photographs, will result in an ineligible rating.
2. Occupation Questionnaire: You must submit a completed job-specific occupational assessment questionnaire through your Application Manager account.
3. Proof of Bar Membership: You must provide documentation that you are a member of the Bar of a state, territory or commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia. If you are made an offer, you must submit a Certificate of Good Standing dated within 30 days of the offer.
4. Transcripts: You must submit a copy of your transcript(s), as specified under the Education section of this announcement. Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for application purposes, provided they show your classes, grades, dates of attendance and award of any degree. If selected, an official/sealed college transcript(s) will be required to verify education prior to employment.
5. SF-50: If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a copy of an SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action," which documents your highest permanent grade/step/salary held.
6. Performance Appraisal: If you are a current or former federal employee, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal dated within 18 months. If you do not have one, you must submit an explanatory statement.
7. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney positions, which are in the excepted service; however, the Commission considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor in the hiring of all positions. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include such information in their cover letter, or resume, and submit supporting documents (e.g. DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active duty) as part of their application package. Although the point preference system is not used as in the competitive service, applicants eligible to claim a 10-point preference must submit a Standard Form 15 (SF-15), and documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed, as listed on the SF-15. Specific information is available on the Office of Personnel Management website at: http://www.opm.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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 occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
You must submit your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 05/11/2026 to receive consideration.
1. 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 other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your responses and appropriate documentation before the closing date.
3. To verify that 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.
4. To return to an incomplete application, 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.
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After a review of your complete application is made, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted.
To check the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the More Information link under the application status for this position.
You will be notified up to four times during the hiring process:
Upon receipt of your application
Upon minimum qualifications determination
After candidates have been referred to the hiring official
Once a selection has been made
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
