Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support)

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing a wide range of legal support services to one or more Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) or Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) responsible for conducting litigation in the Criminal Division. The subject matter will include a broad range of general criminal litigation, including violent crime and immigration matters. Legal support services include assistance with case management and case presentations as well as automated case litigation and management programs.

• Assist with the collection of discovery.
• Prepare, organize, index, develop, and manage exhibits, evidence and data, including electronically stored information.
• Prepare a variety of documents including information requests, subpoenas, pleadings, correspondence, memos, and other documentation related to the acquisition of evidence for criminal investigations.
• Manage and operate a variety of computer hardware such as printers, plotters, audio-visual devices, and other equipment to conceptualize exhibits and complete special presentation projects.
• Analyze and summarize factual aspects of cases, including reading and analyzing reports of federal agencies on particular cases.
• Organize, catalog, review and produce discovery, including maintaining indexes and production logs.
• Assist in organizing voluminous case information for efficient retrieval through automated means such as scanning, indexing and controlling of documents into a database.
• Assist with preparation for hearings, conferences and trials.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Requirements

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support), at GS-0901-7/9, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

GS-07:

To be eligible at the GS-07 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:

• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Operating litigation support hardware and software (i.e., Everlaw, Eclipse, Relativity, Trial Director, Camtasia Studio 8, advanced Microsoft Office Suite, etc.);
  • Performing routine litigation support assignments such as organizing case information;
  • Cataloging, organizing, reviewing, and producing discovery;
  • Assisting attorneys with preparation for hearings, conferences, and trials - to include subpoenas, trial exhibits, information requests, pleadings, and correspondence;
  • Closing hard copy and electronic case files upon disposition of cases;
  • Preparing appellate trial documents and exhibits.
• Education: One full year of graduate level study, or possess a Master's or higher degree, e.g., Ph.D., etc., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law) OR possess a Bachelor's Degree or expect to complete the requirements for a Bachelor's degree within the next 9 months AND possess at least one of the following criteria:
  • Class standing in the upper third of the graduating class;
  • An overall GPA of 3.0 OR at least a 3.0 based on courses completed during the final two years of your curriculum;
  • A GPA of at least 3.5 based on the average of required courses completed in your major field OR based on the average of required courses completed during the final two years of your curriculum;
  • Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society.

  (Transcripts required)

• Combining Education and Experience: Combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required graduate education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Transcripts required)

GS-09:

To be eligible at the GS-09 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:

• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as:
  • Assisting attorneys by performing advanced and complex litigation support systems;
  • Assisting with preparation for hearings, conferences, trials, and other projects by recommending and/or providing a variety of litigation support services;
  • Cataloging, organizing, reviewing, and producing discovery;
  • Designing and implementing database management programs to assist with the storage, tabulation, and presentation of case facts, evidence, and other information;
  • Monitoring input of data into database management programs;
  • Assisting in the organization and assembly of evidence, exhibits, discovery, and other documents;
  • Assisting users in the operation of litigation support hardware, software, and databases (i.e., Everlaw, Eclipse, Relativity, Trial Director, Camtasia Studio 8, advanced Microsoft Office Suite, etc.).
• Education: Possess a Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law); or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or an LL.B. or J.D., if related. (Transcripts required)
• Combining Education and Experience: Combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required graduate education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Transcripts required)

Benefits

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Additional Information

• Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.
• All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov.
• Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of credibility of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if:
  1. This vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility;
  2. You apply under the instructions in the announcement; and
  3. You are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP): The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if:
  1. This vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility;
  2. You apply under the instructions in this announcement; and
  3. You are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.