Legal Assistant (Office Automation)

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys • Seattle, WA

2d

About The Position

The Legal Assistant (Office Automation) serves in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, directly and independently supporting Assistant United States Attorneys with legal assistance and office support. The role involves reviewing and preparing legal materials, managing paper and electronic documents and evidence, tracking court deadlines, coordinating calendars and appointments, and arranging travel. Responsibilities increase in complexity as training and experience progress. This is a career-ladder position with a full performance level of GS-7; promotion from a lower grade is discretionary and depends on performance, requirements, higher-level work, and funding.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship or national status.
• Satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, and tax checks, and drug testing; continued employment is subject to a favorable background investigation.
• Selective Service registration if applicable.
• Federal employees must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the announcement closing date.
• Meet the qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the announcement closing date and before placement.
• GS-5: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4, four years of education above high school, or an eligible combination of education and experience. 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 in Federal service, including 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, documents, correspondence, and related materials.
• GS-7: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-6 in Federal service, including preparing hearing or trial documents; verifying citations and statutory references; assisting with discovery, hearing, or trial preparation; and using software and legal and non-legal databases to produce reports and documents, conduct factual research, develop brief contents and indices, and prepare courtroom presentations.
• Type at least 40 words per minute on a five-minute sample with three or fewer errors; a typing test may be required.
• A one-year probationary period may be required if selected.
• Academic degrees and coursework used to qualify 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. accredited education. Documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Responsibilities

• Review incoming materials and independently determine whether legal documents need to be assembled or prepared, including complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, exhibits, affidavits, and subpoenas.
• Proofread and cite-check legal briefs, memoranda, and other legal documents.
• Manage paper and electronic documents and evidence, including PDF and image files, audio and video files, bank records, and forensic reports.
• Track filing, hearing, and trial dates; schedule conferences and interviews.
• Maintain attorney calendars, schedule appointments, and provide reminders and commitments for court appearances.
• Arrange travel by preparing itineraries and securing transportation and hotel reservations.

Benefits

• Paid vacation
• Sick leave
• Paid holidays
• Telework
• Life insurance
• Health benefits
• Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System
• Recruitment incentives may be authorized if the position is determined difficult to fill, subject to candidate qualifications and funding.
• A relocation incentive may be considered based on qualifications.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED