Closing Date: 14th October, 2025
Description:
Summary:This position is in the Contracting, Budget, Real Estate, and Leasing subgroup, a component of the Litigation and Administrative Practice Group in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The subgroup provides legal and policy advice to the Commission and the SEC's divisions and offices on a wide range of legal matters including procurement, appropriations, real estate, leasing and intellectual property, and defends the Commission in administrative and federal court litigation.
Duties:
The individual selected for this position is responsible for providing legal advice and representing the Commission in matters involving Intellectual Property and related issues.
Typical Duties:
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
This position is not in the collective bargaining unit.
Qualifications:
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
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
Minimum Qualification Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirement, applicants must also meet the minimum qualification requirement.
Education:
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 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
Additional Information:
SEC Compensation Program: The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes as it represents the full range that is applicable to current employees in this occupation/grade; however, a selectee's initial pay is always set below the maximum rate of the range. Please click here for additional information.
Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, please visit http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/
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.
Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact reasonableaccommodation@sec.gov. For religious-based accommodations, please contact religiousaccommodation@sec.gov . Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at ElliottT@sec.gov.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be commi
Typical Duties:
- Provides legal advice to the Commission on intellectual property law matters (primarily copyright and trademark), and responds to potential infringement and misuse of the Commission's trademarks and agency seal in fraudulent schemes.
- Litigates patent and other intellectual property (IP)-related disputes, including serving as team lead where appropriate; coordinates with outside counsel as necessary to further the agency's interests in litigation and proceedings.
- Oversees the maintenance and protection of the Commission's registered trademarks, official seal, and related branding, including drafting necessary filings with the Patent & Trademark Office, monitoring reports of potential trademark infringement, drafting cease and desist letters to potential infringers, and drafting needed licensing agreements for appropriate third-party use of the SEC's registered marks.
- Advises Commission offices and divisions on intellectual property law, including copyright, patent, and trademark issues.
- Investigates and takes appropriate action against advanced fee frauds and other schemes involving the misappropriation of Commission intellectual property and/or impersonation of SEC employees, and identifies and implements process improvements for such matters.
- Advises Commission offices and divisions on new and novel uses of data resources, social media, online technologies, and related services, including reviewing and/or negotiating terms of service agreements for government-compatible data rights and data usage provisions and other policy-related issues.
- Advises the Assistant General Counsel and Associate General Counsel regarding difficult, complex, and/or novel issues within their expertise, and serves as a resource and subject matter expert for others.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- 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.
- Application procedures are specific to this vacancy announcement. Please read all the instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may result in you not being considered for this position.
- 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.
- This position has promotion potential to the SK-14.
- Consistent with 5 U.S.C. 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.
- 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.
Qualifications:
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
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.
- SK-14: Applicant must have three year(s) of post J.D. work experience, two year(s) of which includes:
- Providing legal advice (both written and oral) to clients on legal issues in federal intellectual property law, including in areas such as patent enforcement, trademark maintenance and enforcement, copyright law, and/or licensing agreements and releases; AND
- Representing federal agencies or other clients in litigation; AND
- Drafting legal memoranda, legal documents, or reports pertaining to intellectual property law.
Education:
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 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
Additional Information:
SEC Compensation Program: The overall salary range listed above is provided for informational purposes as it represents the full range that is applicable to current employees in this occupation/grade; however, a selectee's initial pay is always set below the maximum rate of the range. Please click here for additional information.
Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, please visit http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/
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.
Reasonable Accommodation: If you are an applicant who needs a reasonable accommodation to participate in the SEC application process due to a medical disability, please contact reasonableaccommodation@sec.gov. For religious-based accommodations, please contact religiousaccommodation@sec.gov . Please be sure to submit your request at least 5 business days in advance of the date you need the requested accommodation.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Information for SEC Job Applicants: Federal EEO laws protect all applicants from discrimination on the following bases: race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. Applicants who believe they have been discriminated against on any EEO basis can seek recourse through the SEC's administrative complaints process. To be timely, an individual must enter the EEO process within 45 days from when they know (or should have known) of the alleged discrimination. Click here for additional information.
The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by contacting the Legal and Policy Office in the Office of Human Resources at ElliottT@sec.gov.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be commi
