Attorney Advisor, Indo-Pacific

Position description

Job Summary

The Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel is seeking a person with exceptional analytical, organizational and interpersonal communication skills to join our outstanding team of international technical assistance attorneys. CLDP’s mission is to help developing and transitional countries improve the policy, legal and regulatory conditions for doing business, thereby creating better economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs and American companies doing business overseas. CLDP accomplishes this objective by providing training, advisory, and consultative services to host country governments and the private sector. The applicant's role as an Attorney-Advisor will include designing, implementing, and evaluating technical assistance and capacity-building programs that promote U.S. policy goals and meet the host countries’ economic development needs. Starting annual salary and benefits at the GS 13 or 14 level.

Duties

CLDP attorneys are the primary implementers for the Office of General Counsel’s international development programs. In this position, you will consult with other U.S. government agencies, foreign government officials, and members of the private sector to assess development needs and to design and implement assistance programs. This position supports the U.S. Government’s vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. In July 2018, the United States launched the Infrastructure Transaction and Assistance Network (ITAN). CLDP supports ITAN by building partner governments’ capacity to implement complex infrastructure projects. The major geographical focus of your programming will be the Indo-Pacific region, including, but not limited to, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Pacific Islands, and Timor-Leste. The attorney’s work will require regular travel to Asia.

About the Organization

Established in 1992, CLDP is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce that helps achieve U.S. foreign policy goals in developing and transitional countries through commercial legal reforms. CLDP's unique, government-to-government technical assistance draws upon highly-experienced regulators, judges, policymakers, business leaders and attorneys from both the public and private sectors to deliver results that make meaningful and lasting changes to the legal and business environments of our host countries.

The CLDP Team

CLDP lawyers, resident advisors, program specialists and administrative personnel are multicultural and have expertise in international business, commercial laws, trade relations and development assistance. Most members of CLDP's staff speak at least two languages fluently, and much of CLDP's work is conducted in the language of the host country. Partnering with many Commerce Department bureaus, the federal judiciary, other U.S. Government agencies and international organizations, CLDP designs and implements conferences and workshops, utilizes long and short-term advisors and trains foreign delegations in the U.S. and other countries to improve commercial legal frameworks.

Why CLDP is Important

In the past two decades, developing and transitional countries worldwide have displayed a greater commitment to achieving economic growth through liberalization. This has created an opportunity for the United States to build stronger bilateral relationships, while increasing economic opportunity for itself and its partners. Many developing countries look to the United States as the world's leading economy for assistance to improve their laws and regulations. CLDP has filled that need by working with those governments to create effective and reliable political, commercial, and legal institutions that are critical to fostering attractive environments where businesses can find opportunity.

Who Benefits from CLDP Assistance

Both the U.S. and foreign countries benefit from CLDP efforts. Working closely with the U.S. Embassies, CLDP has helped develop the legal infrastructure to support domestic and international businesses alike through programs in more than 50 countries. U.S. businesses benefit from growing overseas markets that have transparent legal systems and fair regulations. CLDP's work to help countries increase compliance with international and bilateral trade obligations levels the playing field for U.S. businesses to compete. Simultaneously, CLDP serves as a technical assistance catalyst to help developing countries make the reforms they seek to modernize the laws and regulations that will lead to economic growth and opportunity for their people.

Qualifications

Qualifications/Key Requirements

• Prior experience working in Asia is required.
• Prior experience with Infrastructure Procurement, Project Finance, and/or Public-Private Partnerships is required. In this position, Attorney-Advisors will be expected to be able to converse with a variety of stakeholders on the structuring of infrastructure projects, particularly in the power, transportation, and housing sectors.
• Prior experience or understanding of procurement, anti-corruption, and arbitration is preferred, but not required.
• Prior experience and/or familiarity in working with foreign governments and/or development finance institutions is strongly preferred.
• Prior experience in legal matters involving active client engagement, negotiations, agreements or interagency consultation; i.e., interacting and advising policy staff of administrative laws, regulations and rules directly having implications for the client’s current or proposed policies is required.
• Frequent International travel is required. Attorney-Advisors in this position carry out many of their programs in the host countries around the globe.
• Interest or familiarity with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, either for South Asia or Southeast Asia, is preferred, but not required.
• Language proficiency in Bahasa, Bangla, Nepali, Tamil, Mongolian, or Tetum preferred, but not required.
• Must be a United States Citizen and registered for Selective Service if applicable(www.sss.gov)
• 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 clearance.

Application instructions

How to Apply

Please email a resume and cover letter to Lindsey Scannell, Senior Counsel, Commercial Law Development Program, U.S. Department of Commerce. ([email protected]).