Summary
The United States Sentencing Commission is seeking a Staff Attorney to participate in the substantive policy development of the Commission and provide legal support for the Commission's training, research, data, legislative, and administrative functions.
Duties
The staff attorney participates in the substantive policy development of the Commission and provides legal support for the Commission's training, research, data, legislative, and administrative functions. Responsibilities include, but are not be limited to: (1) Analyzing federal case law, circuit conflicts, and crime and sentencing legislation; (2) Conducting in-depth legal research related to the application of the federal sentencing guidelines, administrative law, and federal agency practice; (3) Preparing correspondence, legal memoranda, and analytical reports; and, (4) Participating in staff working groups that focus on new legislation, guideline amendments, or other sentencing issues.
Requirements
MANDATORY QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS Applicants must possess a law degree (JD) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member of the bar of a state, territory, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a Federal court of general jurisdiction. Applicants must have demonstrated experience as listed below. Applicants must have one year of specialized experience which is in or directly related to the line of work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position. This one year of specialized experience must have been at, or equivalent to, the next lower grade from the grade being considered. For example, to qualify for the GS-13, one year of specialized experience must have been gained at, or equivalent to, the GS-12. To be considered for this position, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter or separate narrative statement that addresses each KSA factor listed below. Each factor should be addressed separately and include a description of the demonstrated experience that is directly related to the duties, responsibilities, and KSA factors for this position. Knowledge of federal sentencing and criminal law. Experience conducting in-depth legal research involving analysis of case law, statutes, and legislation. Excellent legal analysis, writing, and editing skills. Ability to express, orally and in writing, complex legal issues in clear and succinct language so that the concepts are understood by both lawyers and non-lawyers. Skill in planning, organizing, setting priorities, and completing multiple tasks of varying complexity.
Education
Applicants must possess a law degree (JD) from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
How you will be evaluated
The Commission evaluates applicants through a structured interview process. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary remote interview. Applicants who do not address the mandatory and preferred qualification requirements in their application materials as stated in the "How to Apply" section of this vacancy announcement will be disqualified from consideration and must re-apply before the closing date to be considered for employment. A candidate may be considered even if they do not meet the preferred qualifications, so long as those qualifications are addressed in their application materials. The Office of Human Resources: Reviews the applicant's application to ensure the proper materials are submitted. Ensures that the application addresses all qualification requirements stated in the vacancy announcement (mandatory and preferred). Determines whether the applicant meets the qualification requirements for the position, and notifies the applicant of the status of their application. Application materials for those applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will be forwarded to the screening panel for review.