Paralegal Specialist

Summary The mission of the Antitrust Division is to promote competition by enforcing the antitrust laws to protect economic freedom and opportunity on behalf of the American people. The Antitrust Division has an opening for Paralegal Specialists to join its dedicated team and gain invaluable experience working in the public interest to protect the competitive process. Are you ready to contribute to matters of national importance that promote a competitive and productive American economy? Responsibilities The Antitrust Division is seeking to fill Paralegal Specialist positions in the Civil Program Offices in Washington, DC. Within the Division, Paralegal Specialists perform legal duties in support of attorneys engaged in antitrust cases and matters. NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage. As a Paralegal Specialist, you will: Review, code, categorize, and analyze electronic and hard copy documents in accordance with case priorities, using case management programs and document review platforms. Perform legal or factual research and draft memoranda using section or attorney files, library reference files, corporate records, private and governmental studies, case management programs and document review platforms, and other pertinent sources, to supply needed factual information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs, and similar documents. Assist attorneys and law enforcement partners in conducting interviews with investigative sources and prospective witnesses. Communicate and coordinate with law enforcement agents to collect and track investigative files, including, but not limited to, search warrant and subpoenaed documents. Please note: Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this position. You must undergo a pre-employment security investigation. You will be required to take and successfully clear a drug test. You must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement. SELECTIVE SERVICE: All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see SSS.gov). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law. You must meet the required qualifications for this position by the closing date of the announcement. DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit. This position offers career mobility opportunities to qualified Legal Division/Office of Solicitor General employees, who are encouraged to apply. This is a full-time, non-supervisory, term appointment in the competitive service for up to 4 years, subject to a one-year trial period in accordance with 5 CFR 316.304. Trial periods are an extension of the hiring process. If selected for this position, the agency will evaluate your fitness and whether continuation of employment advances the public interest before extending your appointment beyond the one-year trial period. The Antitrust Division participates in the E-Verify program. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. Qualifications In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the Specialized Experience Requirements. Specialized experience is experience that has provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position as described above, and that is typically in or related to this position being filled. To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-07 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level performing 3 out of 4 of the following: Developing, authorizing, or examining claims or applications that required resolving conflicting data and interpreting a body of laws, rules, regulations and policies. Preparing or reviewing contracts or other legal instruments for legal sufficiency and conformance with applicable laws. Selecting and analyzing information to determine the intent of statutes, treaties, and executive orders or legal decisions, opinions, and rulings. Investigating and analyzing evidence of alleged or suspected violations of laws or regulations. OR EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: One (1) full year of graduate level education (Transcripts required) OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Must possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this position. (Transcripts required) OR SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT PROVISIONS: A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher for all completed undergraduate course work or for all courses completed in the last two full years of undergraduate work; A GPA of 3.5 or higher for all courses in the major field of study, or those courses in a major completed in the last two full years of undergraduate work; Rank in the upper one-third of a college, university, or major subdivision; or Membership in a national honor society or successful completion of one full year of graduate level study. (Transcripts required) To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-09 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level performing 3 out of 5 of the following: Preparing and organizing charts, graphs, and other materials to be used as exhibits in court. Preparing routine correspondence. Taking accurate notes during attorney proffers and witness interviews and preparing memoranda from those notes. Performing legal or factual research to supply needed factual information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs, and similar documents. Reviewing and coding electronic and hard copy documents using case management programs, (i.e., Relativity). To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: GS-11 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level performing 3 out of 5 of the following: Auditing investigative files, including internal records, subpoenaed records, and records obtained via search warrant, for production in discovery. Working with attorneys and law enforcement partners in the preparation of witnesses for court appearances or grand jury testimony. Coordinating with attorneys in creating document review protocols. Leading technical support staff with the preparation and organization of electronic document review platforms, (e.g. Relativity). Providing guidance and advice to junior paralegals and/or distributing assignments to junior paralegals on behalf of attorneys. Substitution of education requirements allowed are outlined below. GS-09: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master's degree or Master's or equivalent graduate degree or L.L.B. or J.D., if related. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided. GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or L.L.M., if related. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided. OR Combination of graduate education and professional experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided. IMPORTANT: A full year of work is 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Applicants MUST submit a copy of transcripts with your application. An unofficial transcript is acceptable to qualify, but it must include your full name, name of the school, the date and degree awarded (if conferred), and the list of classes, grades and credits earned. You will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment if you are selected. All academic degrees and course work must be completed at an institution that has obtained accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Click here to check accreditation. *Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. *All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Additional Information The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Dept of Justice (DOJ) with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your DOJ 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 rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is online. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over candidates from other agencies for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority over other applicants who are not employees of the DOJ if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP 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 rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is online. NOTE: To verify your veterans' preference entitlement, please submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. (1) If you are claiming 10-point preference, you must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of the SF-15, Application for 10 Point Veterans' Preference OR a VA letter that shows dates of service or service-connected disability AND character of service. (2) If you are claiming 10-point DERIVED PREFERENCE as a relative you must submit Member Copy 4 of the veteran's DD-214, and an SF-15, Application for 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of this form. If you fail to do so, you will receive consideration as a non-veteran. DOJ EEO Statement/Policy OPM Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement Veterans' Information Legal and Regulatory Guidance