Paralegal Specialist (Appellate)

About the role

Serving in the Northern District of Indiana means being part of a mission-driven federal team dedicated to justice across a dynamic region. Our district spans vibrant communities from Northwest Indiana through South Bend and eastward to Fort Wayne, offering both metropolitan access and a strong sense of local connection.

Responsibilities

• Support Appellate Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) by providing a variety of paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
  • Conduct legal research on cases and issues identified by AUSAs, utilizing statutes, case law, regulations, court rules, legal treatises, legal periodicals, and policy documents.
    • Prepare drafts on a variety of legal documents, such as pleadings, memoranda of law, trial briefs, appellate briefs, summonses, complaints, indictments, answers, motion papers, and stipulations.
      • Review and organize complex factual material and other documentary data for appellate briefing.
        • Generate tables, proofread drafts, and check citations in drafts with efficiency.
          • Develop and enter various case material into a computer database.
            • Maintain calendars and track deadlines for court filings.
              • Provide advanced case support to AUSAs by reviewing witness materials, identifying deficiencies, and coordinating needed investigative follow-up.

Requirements

• Conditions of employment: Must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication including fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable. If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

Qualifications

• GS-7: To be eligible at the GS-7 level, you must meet at least ONE (1) of the following conditions, as defined below:
  • Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. Examples of specialized experiences may include the following: assists in the preparation and organization of documentation and evidence for production as discovery and for use in trial; compiles, organizes, and indexes evidentiary exhibits for use at hearings or trial; prepares draft list of exhibits to be offered at trial; review legal documents to extract information related to specific issues; verifying citations and statutory references contained in legal documents; and utilizing various computerized data base programs to organize extensive documents.
  • Education: Successful completion of one (1) full year of progressively higher-level graduate education (18 semester hours or the number of units your school uses to describe one graduate year of academic study) in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Paralegal Studies, Law) leading to a master's degree OR completed bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement. See education section for superior academic achievement definition.
  • Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year.
• GS-9: To be eligible at the GS9 level, you must meet at least ONE (1) of the following conditions, as defined below:
  • Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Examples of specialized experiences may include the following: summarizes findings into memoranda, annotated references, bibliographies, and organized research packages to support appellate litigation; drafts pleadings, memoranda, briefs, motions, and other legal documents by incorporating legal references, analyzing precedents, proofreading, and citation checks for accuracy; assists with oral-argument preparation by gathering and indexing briefs, case law, and record materials under established procedures.
  • Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B. or J.D.); OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
  • Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years.
• GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE (1) of the following conditions, as defined below:
  • Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level. Examples of specialized experiences may include the following: performs research, evaluation, and analysis of specialized legal topics and points of law involving defending criminal convictions and civil judgments, bringing affirmative appeals, preparing briefs, and assisting in the presentation of oral arguments before appellate courts; works on matters that require coordination with higher-level legal offices on potential appeals, petitions for rehearing, and litigation before higher appellate courts; identifies emerging legal issues and adjusts research strategies.
  • Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law): a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
  • Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)

• 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)

• 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.

Education

• 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 OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
• Superior Academic Achievement is defined as follows: standing in the upper third of your graduating class or major subdivision, OR membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies, OR obtaining a sufficient grade point average, defined as the following. Applicants must have a grade point average of: (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculums.