PARALEGAL SPECIALIST I / II /III

About the role

Serves as Paralegal Specialist in the Office of Counsel, providing support to one or more attorneys, primarily in the areas of commercial law, fiscal law, civilian personnel law (CPL), labor law, general and administrative law, intellectual property and trademarks, Ethics, FOIA and Privacy Act, and OGC-related litigious matters.

This is a 2-level non-compete progression position. Incumbents may be selected at any level equal to their experience: Paralegal Specialist I, II, or III.

Responsibilities

• Perform litigation-related documentary searches and analyses; draft and edit non-legal administrative memoranda, reports, and other administrative documents.
• Prepare written memoranda that identify, discuss, and analyze relevant cases, statutory and regulatory authorities, and materials; present conclusions on the current state of law on issues.
• Review and analyze legal documents for completeness, accuracy, and sufficiency, including transcripts, litigation holds, and depositions.
• Analyze and summarize legal decisions, opinions, and other legal matters for use by attorneys; evaluate the current status of statutes or judicial opinions as requested.
• Support and manage the garnishment program, including investigating, processing refund requests, and working closely with attorney firms, government agencies, internal personnel, and courts to manage, process, and resolve all garnishment-related matters.
• Process 48s for attorneys' training, Continuing Legal Education (CLEs), seminars, bar association dues, and law materials.
• Examine and evaluate information in EEO complaint files and/or DoD Civilian Personnel Management Service (CPMS) Investigations and Resolution Division (IRD) investigative reports.
• Determine the need for additional information, evidence, and witnesses; plan a comprehensive approach to obtain this information.
• Perform other necessary functions relating to EEO complaints that require review of complaint files and/or investigative reports, including coordinating the receipt and organization of information and documents from various departments/offices in response to IRD Requests for Information and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discovery requests; ensure responses are received promptly.
• Manage the Litigation Case Tracking Module (LCTM) for case management and documentation.
• Provide administrative support to attorneys and perform other duties as assigned.

Paralegal Specialist II (NF-04B) additional responsibilities

• Support the FOIA/PA Coordinator with responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Privacy Act (PA) requests.
• Support the Support Staff Manager with office management, human resources, and administrative matters.
• Advanced Civilian Personnel Law (CPL), including coordinating legal sufficiency review of proposed employment and business-based actions.
• Manage the litigation hold system and be responsible for the coordination of appropriate records retention.
• Provide support as needed for command investigations.
• Interview Agency witnesses as required to reconcile conflicting policies and facts, and to identify and elicit additional information from witnesses.
• Conduct timely specialized research into civil, bankruptcy, or contractual matters using the PACER database and electronic filing system for the United States district and bankruptcy court systems.
• Assist in contractual issues before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA); draft annual legal risk exposure letter to auditors.
• Retrieve filings made by opponents in litigation; monitor the status of complaints and appeals.
• Maintain the Navy Office of General Counsel Litigation Case Tracking Module (OGC LCTM) litigation docket.
• Assist in the onboarding and training of associate counsels.
• Advanced Ethics and Standards of Conduct, including management of OGE 450 reports.
• Organize, develop, and support NEXCOM's participation in the worldwide Financial Disclosure Management System (FDMS) to ensure timely responses in accordance with Ethics and Financial Disclosure timeline limitations.
• Interact with Human Resources and respective Single Digit Code Directors (SDCs) District personnel to develop and maintain an updated FDM database.
• Conduct initial and annual review of OGC 450 Financial Disclosures and prepare various reports on OGE 450 filers as required.
• Coordinate efforts with Human Resources (NEXCOM HQ, Code HB) to resolve inconsistencies discovered; train Points of Contact.
• Research and draft the annual Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Ethics Questionnaire.
• Prepare accurate and timely Ethics Program reports for submission to NAVSUP or other government entities as required by law.
• Develop and maintain the Ethics/Standards of Conduct section of the Office of Counsel NEXCOM Intranet Hub.

Paralegal Specialist III (NF-04C) additional responsibilities

Same as Paralegal Specialist II responsibilities, with advanced Ethics work including management of OGE 278s and 450s.

Requirements

• Must be or be able to become a Notary Public within 90 days.
• Incumbents selected at the Paralegal Specialist I level may progress non-competitively to a Paralegal Specialist II position, NF-04B, upon completion of qualification requirements and training within the requirement/training timeframe; advancement is not permitted with less than 2 years in the current position.
• Incumbents selected at the Paralegal Specialist II level may progress non-competitively to PD#0120 NF-04 (SC 4C) upon completion of qualification requirements/training.
• Paralegal Specialist II and III: Minimum 5 years of experience at Exempt-Level Paralegal Specialist II that is directly related to the position and has equipped the candidate with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the position's duties successfully.

Legal ethics requirements

• Confidentiality: The incumbent shall not discuss information gained during employment within the Office of Counsel without explicit authorization. Disclosure of information obtained via written or oral communication, including attendance at meetings, investigations, trials, hearings, or conferences, is strictly limited to those with an absolute need to know. Discretion is essential. The incumbent is responsible for ensuring that documents containing confidential and/or sensitive information are safeguarded from disclosure at all times, during working and nonworking hours, from visitors, etc.
• Unauthorized practice of law: The incumbent is not authorized to provide legal advice or assistance other than informing third parties of how service of process, the initiation of complaints and/or claims, Freedom of Information Act requests, Privacy Act requests, and communications to attorneys are to be effected. The incumbent shall periodically receive updates on legal ethics, the confidentiality of information, authorized disclosure of information, the prohibition against the unauthorized practice of law, and other ethical matters.