Paralegal Specialist

About the role

The Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens. This position is part of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit within the United States Attorney's Office.

Responsibilities

• Prepare draft pleadings, discovery requests and responses, correspondence, and other legal documents.
• Review and organize complex factual material and documentary data related to affirmative civil investigations and lawsuits.
• Coverage and coordination with client agencies to ensure they collect, review, and preserve documents and information that may be used in an investigation or disclosed in discovery.
• Utilize e-discovery software to collect, analyze, review, and produce documents and electronically stored information.
• Utilize document transfer platforms and electronic discovery tools.
• Perform substantive legal research using a variety of research tools.
• Perform citation checking and proofreading with efficiency.
• Develop and enter case material into a computer database.
• Create and maintain charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate results.
• Aid attorneys in pretrial preparations by reviewing and organizing discovery, managing witnesses, and researching case law.
• Prepare, develop, compile, and maintain jury instructions for use at trial.
• Prepare exhibits for trial, including a wide range of visual materials.
• Provide litigation case management and organize cases for court presentation.

Requirements

• To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:
  • One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level, demonstrating a basic knowledge of legal research and the ability to interpret legal decisions.
  • One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level, demonstrating a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:
  • One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level, demonstrating a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
  • One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, demonstrating a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law, Business Administration, Accounting, Healthcare): 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.
• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level, demonstrating a basic knowledge of legal research and the ability to interpret legal decisions.
• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level, demonstrating a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, demonstrating a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication.
• This includes 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.
• Must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Additional Information

• Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate.
• EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.