What are the responsibilities and job description for the Legislative Attorney (Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, or Courts and Civil Procedure) position at Library of Congress?
This position is located in the American Law Division, Congressional Research Service.
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT to fill current and future vacancies as needed. Applications will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. EST on 10/01/2025, however, APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY 10/31/2024 WILL RECEIVE FIRST CONSIDERATION. After that, applications will be reviewed on a 30-day rolling basis.
Qualifications:
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
Knowledge of constitutional law, administrative law, or courts and civil procedure in particular and American public law in general**
Ability to analyze legal issues**
Ability to write in a legal context**
Ability to work effectively in a high-pressure environment.
Ability to work collaboratively with others.
Ability to exercise objectivity in all phases of analysis and consultation.
Ability to exercise judgment and discretion.
Responsibilities:
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is currently seeking several Legislative Attorneys for its American Law Division (ALD). The Legislative Attorneys will analyze legal questions related to constitutional law, administrative law, or courts and civil procedure in particular and American public law in general. This is a non-litigating position emphasizing legal research, analysis, writing, and consultation in a public service legislative context.
The Legislative Attorney will work within ALD, one of CRS’s five research divisions. ALD’s areas of research, analysis, and consultative support include all facets of law in the United States, including administrative, business, civil rights, constitutional, energy, environmental, health, immigration, intellectual property, international, labor, military, national security, procurement, tax, and trade law.
The Legislative Attorney prepares objective, non-partisan analytical studies, descriptive and background memoranda, and reports on legal issues of national significance; provides personal consultation and assistance to congressional committees, Members, and staff on legal issues throughout the legislative process; and participates in or leads team research projects and seminars. The incumbent is expected to develop the skills necessary to provide legal analysis and consultation to congressional committees, Members, and staff at increasingly sophisticated levels.
Candidates with analytical experience in and broad general knowledge of legal issues regarding constitutional law, administrative law, or courts and civil procedure in particular and American public law in general AND strong research, writing, and oral communication skills AND who possess a portfolio of high-quality legal analytical writing are encouraged to apply. Experience as a judicial clerk would be particularly beneficial.
The position’s foundational focus is the broad area of constitutional law, administrative law, or courts and civil procedure. However, given ALD’s relatively small staff and the breadth of issues ALD covers for Congress, candidates must be capable of working in a number of different areas of the law and have the intellectual curiosity to seek out and maintain a broad portfolio of legal issues.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that ensures the Service is well positioned to anticipate and meet the information and analytical research needs of a 21st-century Congress.
Legislative Attorney duties include:
Preparing authoritative reports on legal issues of legislative interest, including surveys and explanations of existing law, comparisons of laws and bills, the activities and legal positions of government and private entities, the progress and implications of significant litigation, and analysis of the legal framework that applies to topics of current legislative focus.
Preparing probing and innovative legal memoranda in response to inquiries from congressional offices and committees. These memoranda often address complex legal questions within the attorney’s field of law and relate to the development, interpretation, or implementation of important public policies.
Responding to congressional office and committee requests for oral briefings and consultations. In such consultations, CRS legislative attorneys educate congressional personnel about existing law, clarify legal questions, identify and discuss legal options, and assist them in understanding the legal framework necessary to develop and implement their legislative purposes.
Making full use of the Library of Congress’s research capabilities to locate, organize, summarize, and interpret legal information in support of service to Congress, and drawing on information available from other institutions, research materials, or professionals in the field.
Ensuring that the Constitution Annotated of the United States, the official record of the U.S. Constitution, remains accurate and timely through historical research, analysis and memorialization of current developments in constitutional law, and review and assimilation of practice materials and academic discourse.
Advising and assisting other legislative attorneys, analysts, and specialists through provision of legal analysis and information in support of their service to Congress.
The position description number for this position is 004712. While there is promotion potential to a GS 15, the selectee may not be hired at a level above GS 13, regardless of current salary or position at the time of application.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
The incumbent of this position may work a flextime work schedule.
The tour of duty for this position is full-time.
This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.
Relocation expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.
Salary : $117,962
