Paralegal Specialist

About the role

The Civil Division, with more than 900 attorneys and 14 litigating components, represents the United States, its Department and Agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet Officers and other Federal employees in any civil or criminal matter within scope of responsibility. This position is located in the Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, International Trade Field Office in New York, NY.

Responsibilities

GS-9 Paralegal Specialist

• Prepares pretrial, trial, and post-trial documents as assigned.
• Assists with technical and logistical support during depositions and trials, including the use of electronic databases and trial presentation software.
• Codes and indexes discovery materials, conducts document searches, organizes case files, and coordinates document production.
• Drafts summaries of witness interviews, depositions, and meetings.
• Conducts factual and legal research, analyzes legal and factual information, and prepares written analyses for attorney review.
• Drafts litigation documents such as memoranda, subpoenas, discovery requests and responses, deposition summaries, affidavits, motions, correspondence, and briefs for supervisory review.
• Verifies case citations, quotations, and supporting authorities for accuracy and ensures documents comply with court rules and formatting requirements.

GS-11 Paralegal Specialist

• Provides litigation support with increasing independence, assisting Trial Attorneys with pretrial witness preparation, investigations, document review, and research of legal precedent.
• Prepares pretrial, trial, and post-trial documents and may serve as trial coordinator, providing technical and logistical support during depositions and trials.
• Independently uses and operates electronic databases and trial presentation software.
• Prepares and organizes evidence for discovery and trial; codes and indexes discovery documents; conducts document searches and first-level review.
• Summarizes witness interviews, depositions, and meetings, and interprets technical data and supporting material.
• Participates in discovery activities, including drafting discovery requests, reviewing materials for responsiveness and privilege, and supporting attorneys throughout the discovery process.
• Conducts factual and legal research requiring substantial knowledge of legal principles.
• Verifies citations and prepares tables of contents and authorities for briefs.

GS-12 Paralegal Specialist

• Provides litigation support with substantial independence, assisting Trial Attorneys with pretrial witness examination, investigations, document review, and legal precedent research.
• Prepares pretrial, trial, and post-trial documents and serves as trial coordinator, providing comprehensive technical and logistical support during depositions and trials.
• Independently uses and manages electronic litigation databases and trial presentation software.
• Prepares and organizes evidence for discovery and trial; codes and indexes discovery documents; conducts document searches and first-level review.
• Summarizes witness interviews, depositions, and meetings; interprets, develops, and synthesizes complex technical data and supporting material.
• Participates in all phases of discovery, including identifying discovery needs, drafting requests, reviewing materials for responsiveness and privilege, and coordinating with attorneys throughout the process.
• Conducts complex factual and legal research requiring extensive and specialized legal knowledge and prepares comprehensive written analyses for attorney use.

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 probationary or trial period.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.

Qualifications

GS-9

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level: Organizing evidentiary materials and maintaining litigation files; utilizing research tools; and assisting attorneys with preparing legal documents.
• OR a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successful completion of at least 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR an LL.B or J.D. Education must be in a field directly related to the duties of this position.
• OR a combination of education and experience where the computed percentage of requirements is at least 100% (divide total months of experience by 12, divide total completed graduate semester hours by 36, add the two percentages).

GS-11

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level: Conducting legal research; verifying citations and legal references; drafting legal documents; drafting correspondence, pleadings, motions, briefs, and other legal documents; supporting attorneys in developing and managing evidence pertaining to all aspects of litigation, including investigations, pre-trial discovery, and interviews with investigative sources and witnesses.
• OR a Ph.D. or equivalent degree, or successful completion of at least 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field directly related to the duties of this position, OR an LL.M. Education must be in a field directly related to the duties of this position.
• OR a combination of education and experience where the computed percentage of requirements is at least 100% (divide total months of experience by 12, divide total completed graduate semester hours by 36, add the two percentages).

GS-12

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level: Conducting extensive and specialized legal research, identifying conflicting information, and drafting analyses to support litigation strategy; coordinating trial activities, managing high-volume discovery operations, and preparing or reviewing complex litigation documents such as briefs, motions, and affidavits.
• If you are a current or former government employee on a permanent appointment in the competitive