Paralegal Specialist

About the Role

This is a term position not-to-exceed September 30, 2029, subject to availability of funds. The position may be extended or made permanent without further advertising.

Responsibilities

• Perform research, evaluation, and analysis of a variety of routine legal topics and points of law.
• Use multiple online legal systems to research references such as agency manuals, directives, issuances, court reports, appellate records, or commercial legal publications to locate appropriate data (e.g., applicable precedents, legislative history, and commentaries).
• Determine which statutes, regulations, cases, procedures, and/or policies need to be researched and assembled; prepare initial summaries and make recommendations as to the appropriateness of data.
• Following established USAO precedents, draft initial legal and administrative briefs, motions, oppositions to defense motions, and correspondence for AUSA review.
• Draft legal documents that identify legal or factual issues in the case, locate precedents, and develop legally supportable conclusions.
• Manage discovery and evidence in electronic and hard copy formats; may present exhibits using trial presentation software in court.
• Prepare and organize trial exhibits, documents, memoranda, reports, and correspondence relating to cases for review by AUSAs.
• Select and interpret pertinent guidelines and policies that govern work assignments.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.

Requirements

• You 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.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• This is a temporary TERM position not-to-exceed 9/30/2029, subject to availability of funds.

Qualifications

GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:

• Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience demonstrating basic knowledge of legal research and ability to interpret legal decisions. Examples include:
  • Examining and processing a variety of legal documents.
  • Conducting research, analysis, and evaluation of data in response to complex or sensitive requests.
  • Drafting briefs, pleadings, litigation recommendations, or other legal documents and correspondence.
  • Using a variety of electronic or manual filing systems to acquire and store information.
  • Documenting findings and preparing recommendations.
  • Searching and reviewing legal references, case files, and other sources for information and data required by attorneys or court personnel.
• 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.).
  • 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. Graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year to qualify based on a combination.

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. Foreign education must be evaluated for comparability to U.S. accredited institutions; documentation of creditability must be provided with your application materials.

Benefits

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Telework opportunities.
• Life insurance and health benefits.
• Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent.