Attorney Advisor

Successful completion of a full course of study (J.D.) in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criterion, see www.ed.gov.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

The incumbent will perform a variety of legal duties in support of the WBO program, including:

• Developing and implementing strategies for the WBO's program, policies, and procedures;
• Evaluating Form TCR whistleblower tips and Form WB-APP whistleblower award applications, including documentation or other supporting information submitted with those forms;
• Communicating with whistleblowers and their representatives about the law and rules underlying the whistleblower program, including the program’s eligibility requirements and information regarding the anti-retaliatory provisions of the Dodd- Frank Act;
• Communicating with staff regarding the status of whistleblower-related matters, including the level of the whistleblower’s assistance;
• Collaborating with other authorities (e.g., the Department of Justice and other appropriate federal agencies, registered entities, registered futures associations and self-regulatory organizations, and State criminal and appropriate civil agencies) regarding the status of related actions that are based upon information submitted by whistleblowers to the Commission;
• Providing legal advice to the Commission’s Claims Review Staff and the Commission regarding whistleblower award claims and determinations; evaluating award claims and preparing written recommendations and draft determinations/opinions; making presentations to CRS and responding to Commissioner inquiries related to whistleblower award claims;
• Performing legal research and analysis for recommendations, draft determinations/opinions and with regard to presentations and Commissioner inquiries;
• Communicating with the CRS, and providing the CRS with whistleblower contribution records for its deliberations as part of , making recommendations to the CRS and the Commission about whether a whistleblower award is warranted as described in the Whistleblower Program Rules;
• Reporting to the Commission and Congress on the whistleblower program; and
• Developing briefings for public speaking engagements, and other communications materials to inform the public about the whistleblower program.

BASIC REQUIREMENT: All applicants must possess the following:

• J.D.; 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)

AND

To Qualify at the CT-14 Grade Level: Candidates with a law degree (J.D. or equivalent) and bar membership and 4 years of relevant legal experience after completion of law school.

Relevant legal experience is defined as attorneys, law clerk, or other legal experience which was obtained after graduation from a law school. Legal and non- legal experience gained in the Federal government or private sector prior to completing a law degree cannot be used to satisfy the legal experience requirement. Work while in law school does not count.

Qualifying experience may include: supporting a whistleblower program through policy development, WBO application evaluation, legal research and analysis, advising on claims, and reporting outcomes to senior leadership.

Please note: A writing sample is required at the time of application and will be used to evaluate your qualifications. Failure to submit the writing sample will rate the applicant ineligible for the position. Please submit responses to each of the following:

Writing sample demonstrating analysis of legal issues. Special instruction: If the writing product was a collaborative effort involving others and edited by others, please provide a short explanation of the process and your specific role.