Legal Assistant (Criminal)

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys•Concord, NH

About The Position

The Legal Assistant (Criminal) supports Assistant United States Attorneys by providing legal assistance and office support. The role includes preparing and processing legal documents, proofreading and cite checking legal materials, assisting with non-complex legal research and trial preparation, managing case files and calendars, arranging travel, and producing written materials using office software. Responsibilities and assignments become more complex as training and experience progress. The position is offered at GS-5, GS-6, and GS-7 qualification levels. Depending on grade, applicants must meet the applicable education or specialized-experience criteria. GS-7 applicants must also type at least 40 words per minute on a five-minute sample with no more than three errors. Appointment is conditioned on satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, tax, and drug checks; continued employment depends on a favorable background investigation. A one-year probationary period may be required. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national and must meet qualification requirements by the announcement’s closing date.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
Must meet the qualification requirements for the applicable grade by the announcement closing date.
GS-5: Qualifying options include one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4, four years of education above high school, or an eligible combination of education and experience.
GS-5 specialized experience includes reviewing documents with legal implications for accuracy and completeness; typing and formatting correspondence and forms; maintaining file systems; and obtaining information from files or general reference sources.
GS-6: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5, including reviewing legal documents for completeness, retrieving and assembling information for hearings or trials, researching legal sources, and using automated software to produce legal-related materials.
GS-7: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-6, including preparing hearing or trial documents, verifying citations and statutory references, assisting with discovery or hearing/trial preparation, and using software and databases to produce legal materials, conduct factual research, and prepare courtroom presentations.
GS-7 applicants must type at least 40 words per minute on a five-minute sample with three or fewer errors; a typing test may be required.
Initial appointment is conditioned on satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, tax, and drug checks; continued employment is subject to a favorable background investigation.
Must be registered for Selective Service if applicable.
A one-year probationary period may be required.
Academic degrees and coursework used to meet education requirements must be from an accredited or pre-accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, or foreign education must be shown to be comparable to U.S. education.
Education documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Responsibilities

Examine, prepare, and process technical legal documents, including complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, subpoenas, and libels.
Proofread and cite-check legal briefs, memoranda, and other legal documents.
Assist attorneys with trial preparation by conducting non-complex research on litigation, statutes, regulations, and court cases.
Assemble exhibits, affidavits, and other legal documents.
Assemble and organize files and records for disposition or transfer to a records depository.
Maintain calendars for assigned active cases.
Track filing, hearing, and trial dates, and schedule conferences and interviews.
Arrange travel by preparing itineraries and securing transportation and hotel reservations.
Produce written documents and materials using office software applications.