Paralegal Specialist

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures.

Responsibilities

If selected, you will serve as a Paralegal Specialist in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Middle District of Georgia. You will be responsible for providing substantive legal support to Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in a variety of litigative activities related to immigration cases. At the full performance level, typical work assignments will include:

• Performing specialized legal research in support of civil cases;
• Reviewing and organizing complex factual material and other documentary data for investigations and trials;
• Drafting a variety of substantive legal documents to include initial legal and administrative briefs, motions, oppositions to defense motions, trial subpoenas, interrogatory requests, documentation relevant to acquiring evidence or testimony, and correspondence for attorney review;
• Researching references such as agency manuals, directives, issuances, court reports, appellate records, or commercial legal publications to locate appropriate data such as applicable precedents, legislative history, and commentaries which bear on legal issues;
• Managing discovery and evidence in electronic and hard copy formats and presenting the exhibits using trial presentation software in court;
• Preparing and organizing voluminous documentation and evidence for production as discovery and for use in trial.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Requirements

Conditions of employment:

• 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;
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

GS-9: To qualify for the GS-9 level of this position, you must meet ONE of the following qualification requirements:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in Federal service performing paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a basic knowledge of legal research and ability to interpret legal decisions. Examples of qualifying experience include performing the following types of duties:

• 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.

OR EDUCATION: Possess one of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law):

• A J.D. or LL.B; OR
• A Master's or equivalent graduate degree or higher; 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.

OR COMBINATION EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: A combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above which, when combined, equal 100 percent of the requirements. (Only graduate education in excess of 1 full year is creditable.)

GS-11: To qualify for the GS-11 level of this position, you must meet ONE of the following qualification requirements:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level which could have been gained in the Federal, public, or private sector. Specialized Experience is defined as experience performing a variety of analytical paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Examples of specialized experiences may include the following:

• Analyzing and evaluating legal decisions and case files to identify relevant issues and potential evidence;
• Conducting legal research concerning precedents and past court decisions;
• Composing legal briefs, summaries of analyses and decisions, and pre-trial documents;
• Interviewing witnesses and various individuals who can provide insight into cases under review;
• Preparing evidence and documents to support recommendations.

OR EDUCATION: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law):

• LL.M.; OR
• A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR
• 3 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.

OR COMBINATION EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience as described above may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years.

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. 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.

Benefits

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part:

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

Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.