Paralegal Specialist

About the role

This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Associate Chief Counsel, located in Artesia, NM; Glynco, GA; Harpers Ferry, WV; Washington, DC. Additional selections may be made for other organizational divisions and/or units within the duty locations listed above.

The Office of Chief Counsel is one of the Government's largest and oldest legal offices. OCC attorneys work on cutting-edge legal issues and provide critical advice across the CBP portfolio, including trade enforcement, search and seizure, immigration, and government ethics. They also represent the agency in labor and employment matters and provide litigation support to the Department of Justice.

Responsibilities

• Receiving, investigating, examining and evaluating subpoenas, and other requests for Agency and personnel information from federal and state law enforcement agencies for possible disclosure in judicial proceedings;
• Compiling, organizing and analyzing documentary evidence of regulatory violations to be utilized by attorneys in administrative and judicial collection proceedings;
• Providing information and making recommendations in justifying the CBP's legal position in regard to legal challenges to Agency actions;
• Obtaining, organizing, analyzing and recommending agency action with respect to matters relating to the Federal Tort Claims Act, Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act;
• Organizing, summarizing, and analyzing depositions and documents obtained during discovery phase of agency litigation.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship;
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with Selective Service;
• Primary U.S. residency for at least three of the last five years;
• All pre-employment processes conducted in English;
• Pass a background investigation;
• Adhere to DHS Drug-Free Workplace Plan drug testing procedures;
• Comply with government ethics standards and CBP-specific conduct rules.

Qualifications

GS-11: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level performing duties such as:

• Receiving, investigating, examining and evaluating subpoenas, and other requests for Agency and personnel information from federal and state law enforcement agencies for possible disclosure in judicial proceedings;
• Compiling, organizing and analyzing documentary evidence of regulatory violations to be utilized by attorneys in administrative proceedings;
• Providing information and making recommendations to justify the CBP's legal position in legal challenges to Agency actions;
• Obtaining, organizing, analyzing and recommending agency action with respect to matters relating to the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act;
• Organizing, summarizing, and analyzing depositions and documents obtained during discovery phase of agency litigation.

Education Substitution for GS-11: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or an L.L.M. may substitute for the experience required at the GS-11 grade level.

GS-12: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level performing duties such as:

• Participating in pre-trial and pre-hearing preparation; scheduling and coordination of witnesses, assembly of administrative records and files, and preparing digests of transcripts of testimony from formal investigations, administrative proceedings and litigation in Federal and state courts;
• Researching information using various legal resources; preparing litigation documents and discovery requests; and preparing responses to various motions;
• Identifying, recommending and implementing record keeping systems, reviewing, analyzing and recommending responses to administrative cases;
• Defining issues in terms compatible with the relevant laws, policies, and regulations; interpreting considerable data, weighing facts in order to formulate a legally and factually supportable position; and giving advice, counsel, or instruction to individual employees on both work and administrative matters;
• Setting priorities, planning work and meeting deadlines.

Pay

This position starts at a salary of $74,678.00 (GS-11, Step 1) to $116,632.00 (GS-12, Step 10) with promotion potential to $116,632.00 (GS-12 Step 10). GS Salary: Locality pay varies by geographic area. Some positions fall under a special pay rate depending on series, grade level and location.