Attorney-Advisor (International)

Attorney-Advisor, Energy and Minerals

Commercial Law Development Program, U.S. Department of Commerce

The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the Office of General Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce, is seeking an individual with exceptional analytical, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills to join our team of international technical assistance Attorney-Advisors to partner with countries and counterparts to advance shared prosperity, diversify energy critical minerals supply chains, and advance energy and mineral governance partnerships.

CLDP’s mission is to advance U.S. business interests and national security objectives around the world by building commercial legal systems that support American and local businesses alike. To meet its mission, CLDP provides technical assistance; advisory and consultative services (including commenting on draft legislation and regulations); and sector planning support to improve the legal and regulatory conditions for trade and investment. This Attorney-Advisor position on the Energy and Minerals Team would engage in cutting-edge legal reform work to support investment in and responsible governance of energy and minerals around the world.

Specifically, this Attorney-Advisor would consult with senior foreign government officials; assess development needs and barriers to investment; and design, implement legal reform technical assistance programs that meet the host countries’ economic development needs and are in line with U.S. foreign policy goals in energy and minerals. To implement the technical assistance programs, the Attorney-Advisor would organize and deliver expert legal advice on the policies, laws, regulations, contracts, and standards for host countries to increase energy and/or mineral production, including those in critical minerals and materials supply chains. This Attorney-Advisor would collaborate across U.S. government agencies in the power, energy, and minerals spaces, work with outside experts in mining, minerals, and energy/power law, and support the global efforts of the U.S. State Department. For more about CLDP’s Energy and Minerals team and what we do, please see our website here.

For this position, the candidate should meet the following criteria:

•  Prior legal experience in the energy and/or minerals sector, including mining, energy, and/or related infrastructure and supply chains, or other related industrial sectors. In this position, the Attorney-Advisor will be expected to be able to converse with a variety of stakeholders on the legal and regulatory frameworks governing the full life cycle of energy investments or the lifecycle of minerals, including investment and project finance, exploration, exploitation, mining operations, tailings management, mine closure, brownfield development, transportation, and processing.
• Prior legal experience in natural resource extraction relating to enforcement, permitting/licensing, insolvency, arbitration, project finance, and/or energy and minerals taxation.
• Prior legal experience with the administration, drafting, interpretation, and/or enforcement of legal, regulatory, and/or transactional documents in the energy and mining sector, such as: hydrocarbons laws, mining codes, oil / gas / mining regulations, energy and/or mining investment agreements and other government instruments, energy and/or mineral concessions and contracts, or energy and/or mining project finance documents.
• Prior experience and/or familiarity with working with foreign governments and/or development finance institutions is strongly preferred.
• Regular international travel will be required, averaging around 6-8 trips per year, to global and occasionally domestic destinations. CLDP Attorney-Advisors in this position carry out many of their programs in the host countries around the world, and also bring delegations to the U.S. for study tours.
• Knowledge of another language is not required but is preferred.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and registered for Selective Service if applicable.
• Must be able to verify active bar membership in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Must be able to obtain a Secret level security clearance.

This position is based in Washington D.C. This position may be filled at the GS 13 or 14 grade level depending on experience. Starting Salary Range is $121,785 to $143,913 with promotion potential to GS-14/10 ($187,093). To qualify for GS-13, applicants must possess a J.D., active U.S. state/territory bar membership, and a minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience. To qualify for a GS-14, applicants must possess a J.D., active U.S. state/territory bar membership, and a minimum of 6 years of relevant professional experience.

How to apply: To be considered, please apply at the post on USAJOBS at the link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/857444000 (USAJOBS - Job Announcement). Additionally, please send an email with a resume and cover letter to CLDPJobs@doc.gov with the subject line "Re: Energy and Minerals Attorney Position.

About the Organization

Established in 1992, CLDP is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce that advances U.S. business interests and national security objectives around the world. CLDP helps level the playing field for American business and strengthens U.S. national security by closing legal and regulatory gaps that malign foreign actors exploit in critical sectors such as telecommunications, energy, and minerals. CLDP provides expert, government-to-government commercial legal assistance to over 85 countries around the world. 

The CLDP team consists of highly skilled lawyers, trade experts, and international program specialists with deep knowledge of commercial law, international trade and business, and economic development. With fluency in over 35 languages, CLDP staff work directly with foreign governments to advance U.S. interests abroad while helping host countries achieve their economic development objectives. CLDP partners with various offices within the U.S. Department of Commerce, other federal agencies, the U.S. judiciary, and international organizations to help countries draft laws and regulations, strengthen legal institutions, and train officials to ensure fair and predictable environments for business. CLDP’s Energy and Minerals Team provides legal technical support in partnership with host governments developing their minerals and energy resources.