Affirmative Civil Enforcement Paralegal Specialist

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys•Chicago, IL

About The Position

The Paralegal Specialist supports the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit, which investigates and litigates affirmative civil fraud actions on behalf of the United States, including healthcare fraud, procurement fraud, and violations of the False Claims Act. The position provides legal assistance and office support to Civil Division Assistant United States Attorneys throughout all phases of civil litigation. Formal and/or on-the-job training may be provided as needed. Responsibilities increase in complexity as training and experience progress. The role includes substantive legal research; drafting legal and administrative pleadings, correspondence, and other legal documents; reviewing and organizing complex factual and documentary material; researching allegations using investigative tools; analyzing large datasets and summarizing findings; supporting Civil Investigative Demands; interviewing witnesses and other individuals; entering case material into databases or e-discovery platforms; preparing charts, graphs, tables, jury instructions, and trial exhibits; and managing litigation cases for court presentation.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or nationality.
Meet the applicable GS-07, GS-09, or GS-11 qualification requirements through specialized experience, education, or a permitted combination of education and experience.
GS-07 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-05 involving legal document and correspondence drafting, trial exhibit preparation and organization, review of legal documents, citation and statutory-reference verification, and use of computerized databases to organize extensive documents; alternatively, qualifying graduate education or a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement.
GS-09 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-07 performing paralegal or legal work demonstrating basic legal research knowledge and ability to interpret legal decisions; examples include processing legal documents, researching and evaluating data, preparing trial charts or presentations, assisting with witness interview reports, drafting legal documents, using filing systems, and reviewing legal references and case files. Qualifying graduate education may also meet the requirement.
GS-11 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-09 performing analytical paralegal or legal work demonstrating practical knowledge of law, litigation and judicial processes, and applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures; examples include analyzing decisions and case files, researching precedent, drafting briefs and civil legal documents, preparing case presentations and analysis summaries, interviewing witnesses, and preparing evidence and documents supporting recommendations. Qualifying doctoral-level graduate education may also meet the requirement.
Academic degrees and coursework must be from an accredited or pre-accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or foreign education must be documented as comparable to U.S. education.
Foreign education documentation must be provided in English or with an English translation.
Register for Selective Service if applicable.
Meet federal time-in-grade requirements if applicable; federal employees must meet them within 30 days after the announcement closing date.
Meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the announcement closing date and before placement.
Initial appointment is conditioned on satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, and tax checks, and drug testing; continued employment is subject to a favorable background investigation.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

Responsibilities

Perform substantive legal research using a variety of research tools.
Prepare draft legal and administrative pleadings, correspondence, and other legal documents.
Review and organize complex factual material and documentary data related to affirmative civil enforcement.
Use investigative tools to research allegations in complaints or active investigations.
Analyze large datasets to identify trends and prepare concise summaries.
Provide assistance with Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs).
Interview witnesses and other individuals who can provide insight into cases under review.
Develop and enter case material into a computer database or e-discovery platform.
Prepare charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate results.
Prepare, develop, compile, or maintain jury instructions in preparation for trial.
Prepare trial exhibits involving a range of visual materials.
Provide litigation case management and organize cases for court presentation.