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Legal Research Analyst

Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Investment Management

Summary

The Division of Investment Management is seeking Law Clerks (Legal Research Analysts) with strong analytical skills and attention to detail. These positions support legal analysis under the federal securities laws, assist in reviewing filings and regulatory submissions, and contribute to guidance, policy development, and rulemaking affecting investment companies and investment advisers.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 06/10/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 10, 2026
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$93,561 - $158,507 per year

Starting salary is based on experience. The range is listed for informational purposes. Initial pay will be set below the maximum. See more below.

Pay scale & grade
SK 11
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-EX-12971043-WLJ
Control number
870712700

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens

Duties

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To provide clarity for applicants, duties are grouped by office. Applicants may indicate interest in one or more offices during the application process.

Rulemaking Office (RMO)

  • Conducting legal and policy research on issues affecting investment companies and investment advisers to support the development of rulemaking initiatives.
  • Drafting portions of rule releases, Federal Register notices, memoranda, and proposed rule text under the guidance of senior attorneys.
Chief Counsel's Office (CCO)
  • Assist in reviewing and analyzing matters affecting investment companies and investment advisers, including requests for no-action, interpretive, and exemptive relief.
  • Conducting legal research, analyzing factual submissions, and preparing draft memoranda, recommendations, or correspondence for senior attorney review.
Disclosure Review and Accounting Office (DRAO)
  • Reviewing and analyzing investment companies, business development companies, and insurance filings under supervision, identifying disclosure issues and preparing draft comments.
  • Conducting legal and factual research and preparing draft guidance, issue summaries, and background materials related to disclosure requirements.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • CITZENSHIP: You must be a US Citizen.
  • SELECTIVE SERVICE: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/)
  • 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.
  • Appointments for Law Clerks are for 14-months pending bar association admission. Failure to do so will result in termination. Participants may be converted to an entry-level attorney position after admittance to a state bar association.

Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You Will Be Evaluated and Required Documents sections carefully, as missing documents will render the application incomplete and ineligible for review.

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. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

BASIC REQUIREMENT:

  • J.D. or LL.B degree

ACCOMPLISHMENT RECORD COMPETENCIES: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information:

Teamwork and Collaboration - Interacts with internal and external stakeholders to support organizational goals and objectives.
Workload Management - Effectively prioritizes workload in a way that accommodates unforeseen developments and achieves successful outcomes.
Critical Thinking - Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and determining next steps.

Education

You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated:(1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. If you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, you must submit a copy of your unofficial transcripts or equivalent by the closing date of the announcement. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Internal Applicants: OHR will verify education qualifications for internal applicants using documents in the Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF). If required transcripts or certificates are not present in your eOPF, you will be required to provide them to OHR. If selected, a start date will not be established until official transcripts are received.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs. For more information, click here.

Applicants may also find the following helpful:
National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice.

Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) is an association of 10 credential evaluation services with a board of advisors and an enforced code of ethics.

Additional information

Supplementary vacancies may be filled in addition to the number stated in this announcement and may be filled from any division or office within the agency.

SEC COMPENSATION PROGRAM: Total salary (base pay + locality) is dependent upon duty location. The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes; a selectee's initial pay will be established below the maximum rate of the range. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. Please visit the agency's Compensation Overview page for more information.

Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, click here.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not I/CTAP eligible. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: (1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; the questionnaire asks you to identify your ICTAP/CTAP eligibility (2) be rated well-qualified; and, (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. View information about I/CTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact reasonableaccommodation@sec.gov. For religious-based accommodations, please contact religiousaccommodation@sec.gov . 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: For more information, please click here.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at ElliottT@sec.gov.

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.

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 for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this announcement.

Your resume and application package will first be reviewed to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements outlined in the announcement. If you are found minimally qualified, the Office of Human Resources will contact you to request an Accomplishment Record. You will have 3 business days from the date of the request to submit it. Failure to submit the Accomplishment Record on time will remove you from further consideration. Because of the short turnaround time, you are strongly encouraged to begin preparing your Accomplishment Record in advance.

Once your Accomplishment Record is received, a rating panel will review both your resume and your narrative responses. Your Accomplishment Record must clearly demonstrate your proficiency in the competencies listed in the Qualifications section.

Click here for guidance on writing your Accomplishment Record.

Your resume must provide evidence that supports the claims in your Accomplishment Record. Each narrative must describe one specific, relevant example from your experience or training. Responses are limited to 300 words per competency; any text beyond this limit will not be reviewed.

You must provide one document containing your narrative responses for all four competencies. Failure to address each competency annotated on the announcement or failure to provide the correct document will result in loss of further consideration. Please note: A Performance Appraisal does not satisfy the requirement for an Accomplishment Record.

Required Accomplishment Record Format:

Applicant First Name and Last Name
Competency Title

  • Position title and dates from your resume that this experience was obtained
  • Describe the situation (i.e., the challenged faced, the problem solved)
  • Describe the specific actions you took
  • State the outcome, results, or long-term impact of your accomplishment
  • Name and email address of someone who can verify this information

Reference checks may be conducted as part of the final selection process, and you will be notified before any contacts are made.

Basis for Rating: The rating panel will evaluate applicants' accomplishment records and resume, then place them into one of the following categories:

  • Highly Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has extensive skills and experience in most of the job related competencies.
  • Well Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements and has a moderate amount of skills and experience in most of the job related competencies.
  • Qualified - Meets the minimum qualification requirements, but may have a limited amount of experience in several of the job related competencies.
Top ranked applicants will be referred to the hiring office for further review and consideration. The hiring office may directly contact recommended candidates for interview(s).

To preview the Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12971043

Securities and Exchange Commission

Our mission includes advocating for investors who seek to secure a future for their family, providing guidance and regulations for the nation's securities industry in an increasingly global market, and taking action with an eye toward promoting the capital formation necessary to sustain economic growth.

A career with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) offers work that is exciting, challenging and rewarding. You can contribute to securities regulation and enforcement while making a positive difference for the American investing public. The SEC provides:

  • Careers that broaden and deepen your already accomplished knowledge, skills and abilities;
  • An environment that allows you to work and learn with the nation's experts;
  • Benefits, compensation and career expansion opportunities; and
  • A balance between your professional and family life.
The SEC offers a number of enhanced pay and benefits plus the standard Federal benefits. Please be sure to visit the SEC's compensation and benefits program pages.

Agency contact information

ask HR
Email
askHR@sec.gov
Address
Division of Investment Management
100 F Street NE
Washington, DC 20549
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Securities and Exchange Commission, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.sec.gov.

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