Legal Assistant (Office Automaton)

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys•Roanoke, VA

11d

About The Position

The Legal Assistant supports Assistant United States Attorneys in the Civil Division by providing legal assistance and office support. Training may be provided as needed. The role involves communications with client agencies, the public, and courts; preparing and reviewing legal documents; supporting discovery and litigation preparation; and maintaining case files, dockets, and calendars. Responsibilities increase in complexity as training and experience progress.

Requirements

Be a U.S. citizen or national.
Meet the qualifications for at least one advertised grade level: GS-5 requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4, four years of education above high school, or an eligible combination; GS-6 requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5; GS-7 requires one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-6.
Specialized experience for GS-5 includes reviewing documents with legal implications for accuracy and completeness, typing and formatting correspondence and forms, maintaining file systems, and retrieving information from files or general reference sources.
Specialized experience for GS-6 includes reviewing legal documents for completeness of factual information, retrieving and assembling information for hearings or trials, researching legal sources, and using automated software to produce legal reports and materials.
Specialized experience for GS-7 includes preparing hearing or trial documents, verifying citations and statutory references, assisting with discovery and trial preparation, and using software and legal and non-legal databases for research and document production.
For GS-7 qualification, type at least 40 words per minute on a five-minute sample with no more than three errors; a typing test may be required.
Meet applicable time-in-grade requirements 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.
Complete satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing; continued employment is subject to a favorable background investigation.
Register for Selective Service if applicable.
If selected, may be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
Academic degrees and coursework must be from an accredited or pre-accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education must be shown to be comparable to U.S. education, with supporting credential evaluation documentation.
Applicants seeking applicable ICTAP, CTAP, VEOA, or noncompetitive appointment consideration must meet the relevant eligibility conditions and submit supporting documentation.

Responsibilities

Respond to phone calls and emails from client agencies, members of the public, and the court regarding cases.
Draft legal documents, including complaints, answers, discovery pleadings, motions, and subpoenas.
Review and process document discovery in accordance with federal rules and established procedures.
Proofread and cite-check legal briefs, discovery pleadings, and other legal documents.
Conduct non-complex research on litigation, statutes, regulations, and court cases to support attorneys in hearings and trial preparation.
Assemble exhibits and affidavits for depositions and trials.
Assist attorneys with casework, including electronically filing pleadings, ordering transcripts, and assisting with the retention of expert witnesses.
Maintain attorneys' dockets and organize case files, including opening and maintaining cases and closing cases for disposition or transfer to a records depository.
Maintain calendars of internal and external deadlines.