Summary

The Division of Corporation Finance (CF), Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) is seeking a Attorney Advisor (Special Counsel). As a Special Counsel, you will provide legal counsel and policy advice to Division and agency staff on the statutes and regulations that Division of Corporation Finance administers. OCC also develops and provides interpretive guidance and assists the public with questions related to those statutes and regulations.

Duties

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In this role as a Special Counsel, you will be responsible for:

• Advising on the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, other federal securities laws, and their associated rules, regulations and forms.
• Applying the federal securities laws to evolving and complex products and capital markets transactions.
• Developing interpretive positions under the federal securities laws and ensuring their consistency with the wide range of federal and state legal, regulatory, and administrative requirements applicable to securities issuers and transactions.
• Reviewing and recommending responses to no-action and interpretive requests and exemptive applications.
• Reviewing, drafting, and developing recommendations for rulemaking initiatives.
• Assisting with special projects.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• CITIZENSHIP: 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.
• TRIAL PERIOD: Consistent with 5 U.S.C. a7 7511, you will be required to serve a two-year trial period (one year for preference eligible veterans) if the position to which you have applied is not the same or similar to your current position of record.
• You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree and you must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
• The selectee is required to report to the duty station(s) listed.

Qualifications

Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the HowYou 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: All applicants must possess the following:

• J.D. or LL.B. degree AND
• Active membership of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (Note: proof of bar membership will be required before entry on duty.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.

SK-14: Applicant must have at least three years post J.D. identifying legal issues, conducting legal research, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents, which also includes at least two years:

1. Providing legal advice regarding the application of the Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, other federal securities laws, and their associated rules and regulations; AND
2. Analyzing and developing recommendations for compliance with the requirements of the federal securities laws.

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

Competency 1: Legal Analysis - Utilizes expert legal knowledge to apply relevant law to the facts of each case.

Competency 2: Critical Thinking - Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and

determining next steps in a case.

Competency 3: Technical Communication - Translates technical information into non-technical terms and accurately conveys technical information to end users (e.g., staff, management) and outside parties.

Competency 4: Workload Management - Effectively prioritizes workload in a way that accommodates unforeseen developments and achieves successful outcomes.

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 click here for a compensation overview.

Benefits

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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.

Review our 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.