Paralegal Specialist

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO), Executive Office for Immigration Review, U. S. Department of Justice.

The Paralegal Specialist performs legal research, assists Administrative Law Judges in managing cases and dockets, processes filings and outgoing orders and decisions.

This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

In order to qualify for the Paralegal Specialist 0950 -09 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Researching statutes, regulations, decisions, opinions, legislative history, and other legal authorities; Coordinating the preparation and submission of correspondence, orders, and decisions in draft and final form; Providing status information on cases and answering specific procedural questions pertaining to the adjudication process; AND Scheduling prehearing conferences and hearings, including coordinating arrangements with parties and counsel, securing appropriate courtroom space, and/or making travel arrangement.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) -OR- Education: Have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.B.

or J.D., in a directly related field. (Must provide transcripts.) NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

-OR- Combination: Possess a combination of the above described graduate education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-09 level.

Only graduate education beyond the first year (18 semester hours) may be used when combining education and experience for this option.

(Must submit transcripts.) NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

In order to qualify for the Paralegal Specialist 0950 -11 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Reviewing, analyzing, and evaluating discovery motions, petitions to intervene, other pleadings, and proposed testimony and exhibits in advance of conferences or hearings and summarizes their contents, identifying pertinent facts, procedural aspects, laws, and issues involved; Making recommendations to staff concerning allegations, legal arguments, uncontested facts, appraisal of evidence, and inferences to be drawn; Reviewing legal documents upon initial receipt for statutory and regulatory compliance, to include proper certification, party representation, and timeliness; AND Preparing legal memoranda, and drafts written decisions and orders.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) -OR- Education: Have a Ph.D.

or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.M. in a directly related field.

(Must submit transcripts.) NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

-OR- Combination: Have an appropriate combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience.

To determine your combination, first compute your experience as a percentage of the experience listed in A above; then determine your education as a percentage of the education listed in B above; then add the two percentages.

The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate education in excess of two full years (36 hours) may be used to qualify.

NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements.

Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

After you submit your application, you will receive notification indicated whether or not the USA Hire assessment is required.

You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment which is part of your application. Major Duties:

Duties include but are not limited to the following: Researches statutes, regulations, decisions, opinions, legislative history, and other legal authorities on the points of law involved and analyzes and applies such findings to the case at hand, including, as appropriate, the utilization of automated legal research for Administrative Law Judges (ALJs).

Provides assistance to the ALJs in connection with evidentiary, procedural, and substantive issues in pending cases.

Reviews case-related documents for conformity with format, grammar, style, and OCAHO procedures prior to signature and issuance by the ALJs.

Monitors, updates and organizes case indexes, electronic case files, and the electronic case management system Coordinates the preparation of correspondence, orders, and decisions in draft and final form and forwards them to the appropriate parties and for publication.

Serves as liaison and maintains contact with parties, counsel, and third parties regarding cases.