Join the World's Top Legal Talent Network

Duties

Job Summary

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives edits and publishes, both online and in print, the United States Code, which is the official codification of the general and permanent laws of the United States.

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel-a small, nonpartisan office within the U.S. House of Representatives-seeks an attorney to assist in the editing and publishing of the United States Code, the codification of general and permanent Federal statutory law.

Major Duties/Responsibilities

The Office of the Law Revision Counsel has two main functions: (1) to maintain the United States Code and (2) to draft legislation to enact individual titles of the Code as positive law. This position is geared toward the first function.

Maintaining The Code Involves a Number Of Tasks, Including

• reading new laws to determine which provisions should appear in the Code and where,
• updating the Code to reflect new law and amendments to existing law,
• writing concise editorial notes to explain amendments, effective dates, references within the text to other laws, and a variety of other legislative concepts,
• preparing statutory citations and tables, and
• proofreading and identifying errors in grammar, spelling, and statutory structure-
• all while conforming to very strict style guidelines.

In addition to the basic tasks required to integrate new laws into the Code, other duties may be required, such as reviewing drafts of bills to enact titles as positive law, doing extensive research and editorial work to improve the organization of existing provisions in the Code, and assisting in the continuing modernization of the Office, including support of online and machine readable versions of the Code.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• USAJobs Conditions of Employment

Qualifications

Qualifications Required (For Each Grade Level):

Attorney license in any U.S. jurisdiction or J.D. degree and an intention to become licensed within one year.

At least one year of professional experience in editing or publishing, preferably in the legal field.

Other Important Requirements

Meticulous attention to detail and dedication to accuracy.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Absolute proficiency in grammar, spelling, and usage.

Ability to analyze and summarize complex legal issues.

Ability to identify issues affecting Federal statutes and explain them clearly and concisely within firmly established parameters.

Education Requirement

J.D. degree and attorney license in any U.S. jurisdiction or intention to obtain license within one year.

Conditions Of Employment/Requirements

Familiarity with Federal or State statutory law is highly desirable.

This position is better suited to someone able to engage in extended periods of solitary work, often involving tedious and repetitive tasks.

The ability to adhere to, and function comfortably within, established styles and practices is essential.

This is a long-term career position with the Office, not a stepping stone to another position within Congress or the Federal Government.