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.
The General Counsel serves as the USITC's chief legal advisor. The General Counsel and the attorney-advisors in the office provide legal advice and support to the Commissioners and USITC staff on Commission investigations involving import injury (AD/CVD), safeguards (Section 201), and unfair imports (Section 337), and prepare briefs and represent the USITC before the U.S. Court of International Trade, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and USMCA binational panels for import injury appeals, and before the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, for Section 337 appeals as well as before US district courts.
The Office of General Counsel is looking for attorneys interested in supporting the Commission's work in its fast-moving Section 337 trade remedy investigations.
In the Attorney Advisor (Section 337) role, you will:
Provide expert legal analysis and advice in unfair import investigations that involve allegations that are primarily directed to intellectual property infringement, including patent and trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, false advertising, and other unfair acts in import trade.
Prepare high quality memoranda, draft opinions, and analytical documents that need minimal revision.
Develop and shape agency decision making on complex intellectual property and trade issues.
Participate in the development of procedures and regulations implementing new or revised legislation and that improve the Section 337 process.
Defend Commission determinations before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and federal District Courts, including the preparation of briefs and delivering oral argument as needed.
Conduct deep analysis of legal and factual records to craft litigation strategies that protect the Commission's interests.
In the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. International Trade Commission, you'll join a team of highly skilled attorneys devoted to excellence, integrity, and impact. You'll broaden your expertise across intellectual property, administrative law, litigation, and international trade - all while contributing to a mission that protects American innovation and ensures fair competition.
This is challenging work with national significance - and a rare opportunity to do it in a supportive, collaborative, and intellectually rich environment.
You will be required to successfully complete a background investigation.
You may be required to serve a two-year trial period.
You must provide proof of your Bar membership.
You will be required to submit a Financial Disclosure Statement.
You are required to register for Selective Service if you are a male born after 12/03/1959.
You must provide a Certificate of Good Standing of the bars to which you are admitted, if you are made an offer.
Qualifications
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 which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
To be hired as an Attorney Advisor (Section 337), you must:
possess at least a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree or a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association; AND
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.
In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirements above, applicants must meet the experience listed below:
To qualify at the GS-14 level: Applicant must have at least four (4) years of experience which consists of the following: 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 defined as professional legal experience in areas such as: federal district court and appellate litigation, Section 337, intellectual property law, including patent law and trademark law, federal administrative practice law; and/or experience interpreting statutes, regulations, court decisions and agency determinations related to the USITC's unfair import (Section 337) practice.
To qualify at the GS-15 level: Applicants must have at least five (5) years of experience which includes the following: 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 demonstrates the engagement of general law practices; or experience and knowledge of legal theories, or principles, methodologies, and practices of the application of legal skills in a field closely related to the duties to be filled AND at least four (4) years of specific experience defined as professional legal experience in areas such as: federal district court and appellate litigation, Section 337, intellectual property law, including patent law and trademark law, federal administrative practice law; and/or experience interpreting statutes, regulations, court decisions and agency determinations related to the USITC's unfair import (Section 337) practice.
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.
Education
All applicants must possess a first professional law degree: J.D. or LL.B from a law school accredited by the 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) from Law school and undergraduate are required to show proof that you meet these requirement. Please see the Required Documents section of the announcement for more specific information.
Submit a copy of your law school and undergraduate 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: https://naces.org/members/
Additional information
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period (competitive service) or a two-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.
Excepted service appointments: This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer rights to permanent Civil Service status.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must 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 http://www.sss.gov/.
Reasonable accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the contact listed on the vacancy announcement. The decision to grant a reasonable accommodation is made on a case-by-case basis.
Verification of information: Any information claimed on your resume and in application materials, such as education, credentials, employment history, etc., will be verified as part of the security clearance process.
Time period to meet qualifications: All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
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.
We will evaluate your relevant education and/or work experience as they relate to the following competencies:
Legal Analysis
Legal Knowledge
Oral and Written Communication
Intellectual Property or Unfair Competition Law
If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.
All minimally qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for review. Your resume, and supporting documentation for education, should contain sufficient information for us to make a valid determination that you fully meet the qualification requirements for this vacancy. We do not make inferences and can only consider the information you provide to us. Insufficient resumes and application packages will result in loss of consideration.
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 receive consideration, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified below by 10/20/2026.
1. Resume: Your resume should not exceed 2 pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. If your resume goes beyond two pages, we will only consider the first two pages for the required experience as outlined in the specialized experience. It must contain the following information: (1) Name, address, telephone number, email address; (2) Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade); (3) If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy); (4) If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
2. Occupational questionnaire: A completed job-specific occupational questionnaire should be submitted through your Application Manager account.
3. Cover Letter: Optional.
4. Proof of Bar Membership: Documentation must show 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.
5. 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.
6. SF-50: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, if applicable.
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.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/20/2026 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/or 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 your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to 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.
Office of the General Counsel
500 E St SW
Washington, DC 20436
US
Next steps
Once the online application package is received, you will be notified through USAJOBS of your qualification status and referral or non-referral to the hiring official for further consideration. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. We will notify you by email the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:
After applications are received.
After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
If selected, candidates may receive additional notifications regarding the next steps in the hiring process.
Your status will also be updated on your USAJOBS account throughout the process.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To receive consideration, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified below by 10/20/2026.
1. Resume: Your resume should not exceed 2 pages and must demonstrate the specialized experience related to the position for which you are applying. If your resume goes beyond two pages, we will only consider the first two pages for the required experience as outlined in the specialized experience. It must contain the following information: (1) Name, address, telephone number, email address; (2) Job Title (if Federal Service, provide series and grade; if not in GS plan, provide GS equivalent grade); (3) If qualifying based on related unpaid (e.g. volunteer service) experience, you must provide hours worked per week and beginning/ending dates (mm/dd/yyyy to mm/dd/yyyy); (4) If other than full time you must provide hours worked per week.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your resume must contain sufficiently detailed information upon which to make a qualification determination. Should you submit multiple resumes, only the latest uploaded resume will be reviewed.
2. Occupational questionnaire: A completed job-specific occupational questionnaire should be submitted through your Application Manager account.
3. Cover Letter: Optional.
4. Proof of Bar Membership: Documentation must show 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.
5. 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.
6. SF-50: Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50, if applicable.
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.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 10/20/2026 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/or 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 your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to 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.
Office of the General Counsel
500 E St SW
Washington, DC 20436
US
Next steps
Once the online application package is received, you will be notified through USAJOBS of your qualification status and referral or non-referral to the hiring official for further consideration. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. We will notify you by email the outcome after each of these steps has been completed. Your application status will be updated up to four times during the following hiring phases:
After applications are received.
After applications are assessed to determine qualifications.
After candidates are referred to the hiring manager.
If selected, candidates may receive additional notifications regarding the next steps in the hiring process.
Your status will also be updated on your USAJOBS account throughout the process.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
