Legal Administrative Specialist

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys•Denver, CO

About The Position

The Legal Administrative Specialist performs technical and analytical work supporting the civil litigation needs of the United States Attorney's Office. The position assists attorneys and legal support staff with organizing case information for efficient automated retrieval, consulting with attorneys and agents regarding discovery disclosure obligations, and supporting trial preparation and presentation. It also recommends technically feasible, efficient, and cost-effective automated litigation support designs, operates computer and audiovisual equipment, and prepares exhibits and demonstrative materials. Responsibilities increase in complexity as training and experience progress. The position may be filled at the GS-7 or GS-9 level. Applicants must meet the applicable experience, education, or combined education-and-experience qualifications. Appointment is subject to pre-employment checks, drug testing, and a favorable background investigation; a one-year probationary period may be required.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
Must meet the applicable GS-7 or GS-9 qualification requirements through specialized experience, education, or a combination of education and experience.
GS-7 specialized experience: at least one year equivalent to GS-5, including assisting with case organization and discovery productions; helping prepare court materials such as exhibits, trial notebooks, and witness and exhibit lists; verifying citations; helping organize digital evidence with technology; and preparing, drafting, and editing legal and trial-related documents.
GS-7 education qualification: one full year of progressively higher graduate education in a related field leading to a master's degree, or a bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement, as defined in the announcement.
GS-7 combination qualification: qualifying specialized experience and graduate education may be combined to equal 100% of the requirements; only graduate education beyond the first full year may be used in the calculation.
GS-9 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-7, including managing case information through automated methods; helping manage incoming and outgoing discovery documents using e-Discovery or similar systems; assisting with trial preparation; and using office automation tools to create physical and digital trial presentations.
GS-9 education qualification: a master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field, or two full years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree, from an accredited college or university.
Must complete fingerprint, credit, and tax checks and drug testing as part of satisfactory pre-employment adjudication; continued employment depends on a favorable background investigation.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
Must meet all qualification requirements by the announcement's closing date.
Academic degrees and coursework must be from accredited or pre-accredited institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be shown to be comparable to U.S. education, with required documentation and English translations.
Must disclose current or recent political-appointment status to the HR Office if applicable.

Responsibilities

Organize voluminous case information for efficient retrieval using automated methods such as scanning and indexing, and/or train attorneys and legal support staff in these duties.
Consult with attorneys and agents to help ensure compliance with discovery disclosure obligations in civil cases.
Prepare computerized trial presentation programs and use eLitigation tools such as Relativity, OnCue, Everlaw, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Recommend technically feasible, efficient, and cost-effective automated litigation support designs to meet user requirements and litigation objectives.
Manage and operate computer hardware, including printers, audiovisual devices, and eLitigation equipment.
Ensure computers and other electronic equipment are in place and operational in courtrooms, depositions, and office presentations.
Ensure exhibits are prepared on time and prepare demonstrative exhibits such as photo boards, maps, and charts.
As experience progresses, take on assignments that increase in complexity.