Litigation Paralegal / Legal Assistant IV Supporting US Attorney's Office

FSA•Sacramento, CA

21h

About The Position

FSA Federal is hiring a Paralegal/Legal Assistant IV to support Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) and the overall mission of the United States Attorney's Office (USAO). The role supports attorneys handling civil enforcement and forfeiture matters, including case development, litigation preparation, settlement, and court proceedings. The position may include training other paralegals and, in some offices, supervising employees.

Requirements

Meet one of the following education and experience pathways: bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies; undergraduate degree in another field plus a Paralegal Certificate; Paralegal Certificate plus at least two years of paralegal experience; or high school diploma/GED plus at least four years of paralegal experience.
Have one year of automated litigation support experience, including knowledge of automated resources and technology used to develop, present, and prosecute federal cases.
Know principles, concepts, and methods of legal research and analysis for assigned case-development and documentation work.
Have excellent oral and written communication skills, including legal writing.
Have strong organizational and prioritization skills and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
Have experience with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, and Word) and other common software applications, including databases.
Demonstrate commitment and expertise in customer service, a positive and flexible approach, and the ability to multitask.
Be able to work in a team, deliver high-quality work, and maintain a professional disposition under extreme pressure.
Be a U.S. citizen.
Meet a seven- or ten-year minimum background investigation requirement.

Nice To Haves

Litigation, high-volume eDiscovery, and trial experience.
Knowledge of forfeiture laws, policies, and procedures.
Trial experience.

Responsibilities

Review investigative reports for probable cause, identify the need for additional information or evidence, and plan approaches to obtain it; may review work by Legal Clerk/Paralegal II staff.
Evaluate new and complex cases referred for judicial proceedings, assessing case facts and agency standards to determine litigation worthiness, applicable law, and relevant case law.
Prepare pleadings, motions, proposed orders, settlement and dismissal papers, and draft legal memoranda or briefs for attorneys.
Confer with attorneys on the merits and likelihood of success of potential forfeitures, considering probable-cause strengths and weaknesses and possible defenses.
Assist attorneys with pretrial preparation, including organizing and reviewing discovery, notifying and interviewing witnesses, preparing witness summaries, managing witnesses, and researching case law.
Use databases and programs to develop data for reports, charts, graphs, and trial exhibits; compile, organize, and index evidence for court proceedings.
Use automated legal research tools, public-information databases, and other resources to research specialized legal matters, including case law and slip opinions.
Participate in assigned areas of criminal or civil proceedings, such as electronic discovery.
Interview federal agents and other law enforcement officers about probable cause for forfeiture and the availability of evidence and witnesses.
Support attorneys in explaining the agency's legal position and proposed settlement to claimants and their attorneys.
Prepare settlement or disposition documents and, when settlement cannot be reached, prepare pleadings needed to obtain default forfeiture decrees.
Prepare attorney summaries based on deposition transcripts.
Assist third parties or lien holders seeking remission or mitigation of forfeiture.
Provide training to other paralegals as needed.
Supervise other employees in some offices, if required.
Perform other duties as assigned.