Closing Date: 1st September, 2026
Description:
Summary:The Division of Trading and Markets (TM) is seeking early-career Attorney - Advisers (Junior Attorney - Trading and Markets) with strong analytical skills and attention to detail. As a Counsel, you will support legal analysis under the federal securities laws, assist in reviewing filings and regulatory submissions, and contribute to guidance, policy development, and rulemaking affecting investment companies and investment advisers.
Duties:
TM establishes and maintains standards for fair, orderly, and efficient markets and regulates the securities market participants, including broker-dealers, self-regulatory organizations (known as SROs, which include stock exchanges, FINRA, and clearing agencies), and transfer agents. Attorney-Advisers will assist on a variety of matters within a particular office's jurisdiction.
In this role as a Junior Attorney - Trading and Markets, you will be responsible for:
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You 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. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
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.
SK-11: a J.D. or LL.B. degree AND be an active member of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
SK-12: Applicant must possess at least one year of post-J.D. experience defining legal issues, conducting legal research, and drafting legal documents such as contracts, dispositions, pleadings, and motions. OR one of the following below:
Accomplishment Record Competencies: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information:
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. All applicants are required to submit a complete application package by the specified cutoff dates. Incomplete submissions by the bi-weekly cutoff will not move forward in the hiring process. Certificates will be issued on a bi-weekly basis until the announcement's closing date.
Cut Off Dates: June 9th, June 23rd, July 7th, July 21st, August 4th, August 18th, and September 1st.
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. (https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications)
Applicants may also find the following helpful:
National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) (http://www.naces.org/) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice.
Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) (http://aice-eval.org/) 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; a selectee's initial pay will be established below the maximum rate of the range. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. Please click here for a compensation overview.
Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, click here.
In this role as a Junior Attorney - Trading and Markets, you will be responsible for:
- Working with other attorneys and other Division staff on complex matters involving difficult issues of law by conducting research, analyzing legal data, preparing legal memorandums, and assisting in a wide variety of legal support assignments relevant to the specialized functions of the various rulemaking offices.
- Exercising professional judgment in examining and evaluating legal standards under the federal and state laws and rules.
- Verifying facts from SEC records and ensuring the accuracy of legal citations and that final released documents are in proper form.
Requirements:
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/).
- 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.
- Trial Period: 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.
- You must possess a J.D. or LL.B Degree and you must be an active member of the bar in good standing.
- Duplicative applications to this announcement over the period of time the announcement is open will not be considered.
Qualifications:
Applicants are responsible for confirming all required materials are submitted by the closing date of the announcement. Please check the How You 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. 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.
SK-11: a J.D. or LL.B. degree AND be an active member of the bar in good standing in any state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
SK-12: Applicant must possess at least one year of post-J.D. experience defining legal issues, conducting legal research, and drafting legal documents such as contracts, dispositions, pleadings, and motions. OR one of the following below:
- A second professional law degree (Master of Law/LL.M.);
- Membership on a law school's journal or law review;
- Membership in the Order of the Coif;
- Graduation in the top 33 percent of law school class;
- One year of significant non-legal work experience in a field related to the position for which the applicant is being considered (e.g., work experience with FINRA or other financial regulatory authority, or other work experience directly applicable to the work of the position for which the attorney is being hired);
- A judicial clerkship following law school graduation; or
- Law Clerk and Legal Intern Appointments
Accomplishment Record Competencies: Your Accomplishment Record narratives should address the following competencies. See the How You Will Be Evaluated section below for more information:
- Teamwork and Collaboration: Interacts with internal and external stakeholders in a manner that advances agency goals and objectives.
- Workload Management: Prioritizes workload in a way that accommodates unforeseen developments and achieves successful outcomes.
- Critical Thinking: Considers a variety of factors, general and subject matter-specific, when making decisions and determining next steps in a case.
- Legal and Regulatory Analysis: Conducts analysis and prepares documents and reports in compliance with Federal law that governs the rulemaking process.
Cut Off Dates: June 9th, June 23rd, July 7th, July 21st, August 4th, August 18th, and September 1st.
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. (https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications)
Applicants may also find the following helpful:
National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) (http://www.naces.org/) is an association of 19 credential evaluation services with admission standards and an enforced code of good practice.
Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE) (http://aice-eval.org/) 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; a selectee's initial pay will be established below the maximum rate of the range. The pay for current SEC employees will be determined according to the procedures specified in the agency's policy. Please click here for a compensation overview.
Disability Employment: For information on disability appointments, click here.
