Supervisory Paralegal Specialist

Full Job Description

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/.

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level.

Specialized experience is defined as experience performing a variety of analytical or legal work that demonstrates a practical knowledge of the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Specialized experience is defined as performing the following types of duties: performing factual research to supply information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs and similar legal documents; providing technical legal support to attorneys in preparation for trial; conducting legal research; preparing for and conducting interviews with investigative sources and prospective witnesses; drafting memorandum reflecting facts, sources, citations discovered during the course of legal research or witness interview; and performing preliminary screening of substantive materials prior to review by attorneys.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.

To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria.

You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application.

Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Major Duties:

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing a variety of complex paralegal specialist support assignments to one or more Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) involved in criminal prosecutions and/or civil cases.

Paralegal support and legal research assignments require significant knowledge of legislative, administrative and judicial decisions, opinions, determinations, and rulings on cases relevant to the district.

Typical work assignments will include: Planning work to be accomplished by at least three subordinates, sets goals and priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work.

Evaluating work performance of subordinates. Providing technical advice and assistance to resolve problems referred to by staff.

Performing complex legal research and writing based on the nature of the legal issue or case, and the functional area of law assigned, e.g., civil, criminal.

Performing analysis of statutes, legislative intent, judicial precedents, agency rules and regulations, and law review articles as they relate to assigned cases to include those of an especially complex or unprecedented nature.

Utilizing a variety of automated legal research tools as well as public information databases and other automated resources to research case or program specific legal matters and participate in assigned areas of criminal or civil proceedings, e.g.

electronic discovery.

Developing new referrals, by ensuring a good working relationship with client agencies and the public, and by assisting in training for federal, state and local agencies, preparing informational literature, etc.

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