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Washington, DC 20219 | Announcement No: | CC-2005-1 |
Opening Date: | August 1, 2004 | |
Closing Date: | TBA | |
FOR LAW GRADUATES
NOTE:
New Attorney Hiring:
The OCC Law Department has completed its recruiting for attorneys who will start in
September and October 2004. Recruiting will resume in September and October 2004 for attorneys who will start work in 2005. We will
conduct interviews for these positions
in September and October 2004, and notify successful candidates in November and
December 2004.
Experienced
Attorney Hiring (for graduates from 2002 or earlier): Please call the Executive Assistant
(202-874-5200) before submitting an application.
Interns: The OCC Law Department is no longer soliciting applications for unpaid internships for the summer of 2004 in the Washington, D.C. office. Applicants interested in fall 2004/spring 2005 internships, please see "Internship Positions" under "Appointment, Salary and Promotion" below.
Change
in District Office locations:
The OCC
has recently changed its District Office locations. As of October 1, 2003, the District
Offices are located in New York, Chicago, Dallas, and Denver. Positions for new attorneys may be
available in one or more of these offices, although most new positions will
continue to be in the OCC’s Washington headquarters. Applicants for attorney positions should
indicate on their application whether they are interested in working in one or
more of the District Office locations.
WHY BECOME AN ATTORNEY FOR
THE
COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY?
WHAT WE DO |
Attorneys
for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) work in one of the most
exciting and expansive areas of law developing today: financial services
law. The OCC is regarded as an
innovative supervisory agency, requiring a forward-thinking, creative, and
intellectually rigorous legal staff.
Attorneys for the OCC:
Develop innovative precedential opinions on
contemporary issues (examples: derivatives, new bank products, e.g., bank
sales of mutual funds and annuities, expanding bank markets, interstate
banking, fair lending, community reinvestment and other consumer
issues); Enforce
compliance with banking requirements by national banks through
administrative actions; Develop
banking regulations and legislation to modernize banking
law; Handle
international banking issues and negotiate international supervisory
arrangements; Represent
the Comptroller in litigation involving any or all of the above.
WHY WE ARE UNIQUE |
Practicing law at the OCC is different from most federal agency practice. Most federal practice is focused on one subject area or one activity. Bank regulatory practice at the OCC, however, involves all aspects of national bank organization and operations and in this sense is truly a “federal” corporate law practice. In addition, the OCC is one of the few agencies that litigates its own cases in the federal courts.
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley financial modernization legislation (1999) has created new opportunities for national banks to enter into affiliations with insurance companies and securities firms and engage in a broad range of new activities. OCC legal practice reflects the evolution occurring in the financial services industry today and is characterized by breadth of subject matter, globalization of financial services, sophistication of clientele, diversity of population affected by OCC regulation, scope of individual responsibility, and the constant opportunity to hone legal skills and gain substantive knowledge in new areas.
OCC legal practice is conducted in small working units with multiple responsibilities. Rotations and transfers among seven practice groups in Washington and the district offices are possible. These small groups of select attorneys deliver high-quality legal services to agency policy makers, national banks and their counsel, other regulators, and the public on a day-to-day basis. The units provide a supportive, cooperative, and productive atmosphere for learning and applying this dynamic area of law.
Because the mission of the agency is to ensure the systemic health of national banks, OCC attorneys maintain a very high professional standard. Opportunities for further training and education abound. Employee benefits and working conditions are superior.
OCC provides excellent support services, including an exceptionally fine library, up-to-the-minute computerized research facilities, state-of-the-art computer and word processing support, paralegal/legal technician support, and a variety of other specialized professional and administrative support staff.
THE LAW DEPARTMENT IS PARTICULARLY PROUD OF BEING INCLUDED IN KIMM
WALTON’S PUBLICATION AMERICA’S GREATEST
PLACES TO WORK WITH A LAW DEGREE.
The Program |
The Chief Counsel's Employment Program for law school graduates is a program designed to provide valuable, stimulating opportunities for outstanding candidates. OCC assigns appointees to positions affording both extensive legal experience and substantial individual responsibility. The Office's training program ensures careful evaluation and supervision of new attorneys’ work.
The
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency relies upon the experience and
expertise of its attorneys. The
Chief Counsel's Employment Program emphasizes exposure of new attorneys to as
wide a variety of legal questions as possible.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency welcomes candidates interested in a career in government service. We prefer to hire individuals who expect to work for the Office for at least three or four years.
Qualifications |
The program is open to third-year law student applicants throughout the country who have excelled in their law schoolwork. In addition, the program is open to attorneys who have graduated from law school within the past two years (2003 or later), including attorneys who are completing judicial clerkship programs.
· |
Interest: |
A sincere interest in the field of financial services
law. |
· | Class Rank: |
|
· | Relevant Course work: |
|
· | Law School Activities: |
|
· |
Work Experience/Personal Experience: |
Financial services-related work experience (legal or business), judicial clerkship, other experience reflecting a desire to excel and overcome obstacles. |
·
|
Location: |
Washington,
D.C.
|
Opportunities
for more experienced attorneys are limited. Before applying, experienced attorneys
should call the Executive Assistant at (202) 874-5200 to determine what
vacancies are available.
Selection |
Competition
for available entry-level positions is keen. Appointees are selected on the basis of
merit. OCC considers the following
factors in reviewing an application:
Law
school and undergraduate academic record (including grades and
curriculum); Participation
in law review, publications, and other extracurricular activities (such as
moot court or legal aid); Work
experience; Personal
experiences that reflect a desire to excel and overcome obstacles; and
Statutory
requirements applicable to applicants who are veterans of military service are
observed.
The written qualifications of all applicants are carefully reviewed, and selected applicants are invited to the Law Department's offices in Washington, D.C., for interviews with experienced agency attorneys. Travel reimbursement may be available for interviewees. Initial interviews are also conducted at some law schools.
Diversity and Equal Employment Opportunity |
APPOINTMENT, SALARY AND PROMOTION |
Appointment and Salary - OCC initially appoints law school graduates before bar admission as law clerks for a period not to exceed fourteen months from the date of appointment. If the employee does not acquire bar membership within fourteen months, the initial appointment is terminated. Upon being admitted to the bar, an employee is reclassified as an attorney. Reclassification as an attorney does not involve a promotion or a salary increase. Salary information is available upon request.
Promotions- After one year of satisfactory service, an entry-level attorney is eligible for consideration for promotion to the next level. Thereafter, they are considered along with other attorneys in the regular promotion program of the Office. All promotions are based on merit, and require at least the prescribed minimum time in each salary level.
Applications
-
A
complete application should include all of the following:
·
Resume.
·
Law
school transcript (photocopy acceptable), AND CLASS RANK, IF AVAILABLE; Please
include an explanation of an unusual grading system.
·
Legal
writing sample that demonstrates applicant's analytical and writing
skills.
·
If you
are claiming veteran’s preference, provide DD Form 214, Certificate of
Separation or Discharge From Active Duty, or other proof of eligibility to claim
veteran’s preference.
·
If you are claiming 5 point veteran’s preference, list the dates
(month, day, year) and branch of any active duty served. If claiming 10-point veteran’s
preference attach a SF-15, Application for a 10-point Veteran’s Preference, plus
the proof required for that form.
·
Indicate whether, in addition to the Washington, D.C. office, you
might also be interested in working in one of the OCC's District Offices in New
York, Chicago, Dallas, or Denver.
Inquiries,
comments, and application should be directed to:
Comptroller of the Currency
250 E Street, S.W.
Office of the Chief Counsel
Attention: Executive
Assistant
Washington, D.C. 20219
Telephone: (202)
874-5200
Experienced attorneys who graduated in 2002 or earlier should inquire about vacancies before submitting an application. Call the Executive Assistant at (202) 874-5200.
Accommodation for Disabilities- The Office provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us of your needs. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Deadline Date - There is no deadline for filing applications; however, students and graduates should apply by October 5 to be considered for the first round of job offers to be made by early December.
Character Investigation- All appointments are subject to a character investigation. Appointment to a critical-sensitive position may require a background investigation.
Benefits - The OCC has a very comprehensive benefits program. OCC benefits include:
Federal Employees Health Benefits for employees, spouses,
and children
Domestic
Partner Health Insurance Subsidy for domestic partners
OCC
Group Dental Insurance for employees, spouses, domestic partners, and
children
Vision
Coverage for employees, spouses, domestic partners, and
children
OCC Physical Examination Program for employees
Federal
Life Insurance for employees, spouses, and children
OCC
Group Life Insurance for employees, spouses, domestic partners, and
children
OCC
Business Travel Accident Program for employees, spouses, domestic partners, and
children
OCC
24-Hour Personal Accident Insurance for employees, spouses, domestic partners,
and children
OCC
Voluntary Short-Term Disability Program for employees
OCC
Group Long-Term Disability Program for employees
Federal
Long Term Care Insurance Program for employees, spouses, adult children,
parents, parents-in-law, and stepparents
Workers’ Compensation Program for employees
FlexFund Program for employees
Family
and Medical Leave for employees and family members
Life
Cycle Account Program for employees
Employee
Assistance Program for employees and household members
Alternative
Work Schedules for employees
Telework
for employees
Public Transportation Subsidy for employees
Civil
Service and Federal Employee Retirement Programs for employees, spouses, and
children
Thrift
Savings Plan for employees
OCC 401(k) Plan for employees
Reporting Dates – Most selections for job offers and commitments are expected to be made late in the calendar year. Selectees will ordinarily report the following Fall.
Internship Positions- The Law Department is currently accepting applications for unpaid internships in the Washington, D.C. office for fall 2004/spring 2005. Applicants should forward resume, transcript and writing sample to Myrrel Hendricks, Senior Attorney, Law Department, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, S.W., Washington, DC. 20219. Inquiries can be directed to Mr. Hendricks at Myrrel.Hendricks@occ.treas.gov or (202) 874-4460.
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