Paralegal Specialist

Summary

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

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Duties

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Major Duties:

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 Attorney's (AUSAs) in a variety of litigative activities related to defensive litigation, such as bankruptcy. At the full performance level, typical work assignments will include:

• Providing litigative support related to adversary proceedings and contested matters in bankruptcy;
• 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; and
• 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

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes 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.
• Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
• You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

GS-9 : In order 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 as described in A and graduate education as described in B which when combined equal 100% of the requirements. (Only graduate education in excess of 1 full year is creditable.)

GS-11: Inorder 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 the application of various laws, court and/or administrative decisions and interpretations related to bankruptcy litigation; 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; and 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., 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 may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years.

Additional information

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here:

Political Appointees (Current or Former ): The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.