; or (C) file a civil action in accordance with section 408 in the United States district court for the district in which the employee is employed or for the District of Columbia. (4) Application This subsection shall take effect and shall apply as described in section 153(c) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2018, except that it shall not apply to a violation of section 210(b) or a public services and accommodations direct provision (as defined in section 210(h)(1)). (e) Rights of individuals To retain private counsel Nothing in this Act may be construed to limit the authority of any particular individual, including a covered employee, or the head of an employing office, to retain private counsel to protect the interests of the particular individual at any point during any of the procedures provided under this Act for the consideration of an alleged violation of part A of title II. (f) Standards for counsel providing representation Any counsel who represents a party in any of the procedures provided under this Act shall have an obligation to ensure that, to the best of the counsel’s knowledge, information, and belief, as formed after an inquiry which is reasonable under the circumstances, each of the following is correct: (1) No pleading, written motion, or other paper is presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of resolution of the matter. (2) The claims, defenses, and other legal contentions the counsel advocates are warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law or for establishing new law. (3) The factual contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likely have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery. (4) The denials of factual contentions are warranted on the evidence or, if specifically so identified, are reasonably based on belief or a lack of information. . (b) Conforming amendment