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The Appellate Group represents the Commission in civil litigation in the U.S. Courts of Appeals and, in conjunction with the Solicitor General, in the U.S. Supreme Court in civil litigation involving federal securities laws. The Appellate Group provides advice to the Commission, individual Commissioners, and staff in the agency's operating divisions and offices regarding the legal sufficiency of proposed rules and other regulatory and enforcement actions.

At the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), we are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) and value a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the communities we serve. As such, we welcome applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds who share our commitment to public service.

• The incumbent serves as an Assistant General Counsel for Appellate Litigation.
• In cooperation with the Solicitor, the incumbent leads the conduct of appellate court litigation involving statutes administered by the Commission and in the rendering of legal policy advice to the Commission, the individual Commissioners, and their staffs.
• The incumbent is responsible for supervising the preparation of briefs and other court papers in the United States Supreme Court, courts of appeals, and district courts; the review of records in cases where the Commission received an unfavorable decision, to determine whether to recommend appeal to a higher court; and the preparation of legal interpretations, legal memoranda, and other advice for the Commission with respect to difficult, complex and/or novel legal problems arising in litigation and related contexts.
• The incumbent also argues, or supervises or assists other attorneys in arguing, cases in the United States courts of appeals and district courts.
• The incumbent carries out supervisory duties, such as performance management, training, awards, and recruitment, and is responsible for keeping employees informed regarding the policies, procedures, and goals of the Commission as they relate to their work on assigned projects.
• The incumbent manages and directs attorneys within the Office and is responsible for planning, organizing, and supervising work production to meet deadlines and maintain quality.
• The incumbent has authority to review, accept, amend, or reject work of subordinates.
• The incumbent plans, organizes, and carries out projects independently, keeping supervisor apprised of the status of those projects and major problems encountered.

• CITIZENSHIP: This position is open to US Citizens.
• You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree.
• You must be an active member of the bar in good standing.

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.

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 four (4) years of post J.D. work experience identifying legal issues, conducting legal research, providing legal analyses, providing legal solutions/recommendations, and preparing legal documents, such as legal opinions, briefs, memoranda, correspondence, or motions. At least three (3) of those years should encompass experience as a practicing attorney that includes: 1) Applying federal securities laws, federal administrative law, and the rules governing practice in federal courts of appeals; 2) Providing legal advice (both written and oral) and analysis of complex legal issues relating to the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder; 3) Supervising, leading, or providing guidance and direction to subordinate staff on complex securities law questions; and 4) Conducting appellate litigation by drafting briefs and presenting oral arguments.

*Experience in judicial clerkship preferred.

About U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

The SEC is a bipartisan Commission consisting of up to five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The President designates one Commissioner to serve as Chairman of the Commission. The SEC’s mission is to protect investors; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation. Accordingly, as outlined in the SEC’s Strategic Plan, the SEC’s goals are to focus on the long-term interests of our Main Street investors; recognize significant developments and trends in our evolving capital markets and adjust our efforts to ensure we are effectively allocating our resources; and elevate the agency’s performance by enhancing our analytical capabilities and human capital development. The SEC oversees the nation’s securities markets and certain market participants, including broker-dealers, investment companies, investment advisers, clearing agencies, transfer agents, credit rating agencies, and securities exchanges, as well as organizations such as the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The agency’s functional responsibilities are carried o...ut through five divisions and 25 offices, each of which is headquartered in Washington, DC. The SEC also has 11 regional offices located throughout the country. The SEC is considered a mid-sized federal agency, with 4,350 employees at the start of FY20. The SEC offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. In additional to standard federal benefits (i.e., escalating annual and sick leave, shared premiums for health, dental, vision, and life Insurance), we offer additional benefits related to child and elder care support, student loan repayment, generous retirement matching, transportation subsidy and many more benefits to support employee growth and development in our workforce.

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