Supervisory Trial Counsel

Securities and Exchange Commission

$120K — $150K *
Legal & Accounting
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • U.S. Citizenship is required.
  • Must have a J.D. or LL.B degree.
  • Active membership in the bar in good standing.
  • One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS/SK-14/15 level.
  • Experience litigating complex civil or criminal cases in Federal Court or Administrative Proceedings.

Responsibilities

  • Participate with investigative and Trial Unit staff to assess litigation risks and recommend enforcement actions.
  • Supervise trial attorneys and complex litigation cases, including those that set new legal precedents.
  • Review and edit all case-related legal papers and briefs for assigned litigation.
  • Supervise oral arguments, hearings, and trials in court as necessary.
  • Lead assessments concerning settlement negotiations.
  • Conduct litigation in district court and prepare all necessary legal documents.
  • Represent the SEC in dealings with federal and state regulatory counterparts.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive federal employee benefits package available.
  • Eligibility for benefits may depend on employment status (full-time, part-time, intermittent).
  • Family access to benefits designed for rewarding federal careers.
Full Job Description
Summary

The Division of Enforcement, Trial Unit is seeking a Supervisory Trial Attorney(Supervisory Trial Counsel). As a Supervisory Trial Counsel, you will serve as a senior trial attorney and manager, providing program direction and technical leadership in areas of litigation handled by the Commission.

Duties

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

  • Participating with investigative and Trial Unit staff to assess litigation risks and recommend enforcement actions. Provides advice during investigations on litigation-related issues.
  • Supervising trial attorneys and litigation in a variety of cases, including difficult and complex matters that can result in new legal precedent. These cases often are highly sensitive, high-profile, and require innovative litigation and trial techniques.
  • Supervising, reviewing, and editing all case-related legal papers and briefs filed in assigned litigation cases, including in civil actions and administrative proceedings.
  • Supervising oral arguments, hearings, and trials in court and attends court proceedings, as warranted.
  • Providing effective leadership in assessing settlements.
  • Conducting litigation in district court and administrative proceedings, including preparing and filing briefs and other legal papers, arguing motions, taking depositions, and trying cases.
  • Representing the SEC in dealings with state and federal regulatory and enforcement counterparts.


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/).
  • 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.
  • SUPERVISORY TRIAL PERIOD: This appointment may require completion of a two year supervisory/managerial trial period.
  • 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. Qualifying education must have been obtained from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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-17: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS/SK-14/15 level. Specialized experience includes: Litigating complex civil or criminal cases in Federal Court or Administrative Proceedings.

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

  • Civil Pre-Trial and Trial Litigation - Implements trial strategies and represents the Commission in court or administrative proceedings.
  • Critical Thinking - Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and determining next steps in a case.
  • Legal Analysis - Utilizes expert legal knowledge to apply relevant law to the facts of each case.
  • Developing and Managing Others - Ability to recruit, develop and manage the workforce to meet organizational goals, with little or no guidance.


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. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SURPLUS OR DISPLACED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) is available to individuals who have special priority selection rights under this plan. Individuals must be minimally qualified for this position to receive consideration for special priority selection. CTAP eligibles will be considered minimally qualified if they meet the minimum requirements for this position.

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.

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