Paralegal Specialist

Offices, Boards and Divisions • Washington, DC

10d

About The Position

The Department of Justice, Criminal Division investigates and prosecutes complex criminal matters and assists U.S. Attorney's Offices in investigations, trials, and appeals. This announcement is for Paralegal Specialist positions in various sections of the Criminal Division. The position supports criminal litigation and appeals from investigation through court filings, and includes legal research, document review and production, preparation of filings and exhibits, and support for interviews, depositions, hearings, and appeals. Positions may be filled at the GS-09 or GS-11 level. Applicants must satisfy the applicable experience or education qualification pathway and demonstrate proficiency in English writing through an online USA Hire assessment. Employment is subject to eligibility, security, and other federal hiring requirements.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Complete the online questionnaire and additional assessments.
• Undergo a pre-employment security investigation.
• Register with Selective Service, if applicable.
• Meet all qualification requirements by the announcement's closing date and meet status eligibility for the announcement.
• GS-09 qualification: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to GS-07, including legal research, writing legal reports summarizing factual information, legal issues, and case law, and assisting with preparation of court exhibits; or two full years of graduate education or a qualifying master's, LL.B., J.D., or equivalent degree; or a qualifying combination of education and experience.
• GS-11 qualification: One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to GS-09, including independent legal research for litigation or appeals, reviewing evidence such as subpoenas and witness binders, writing legal reports summarizing facts, legal issues, and case law, and preparing court exhibits; or three years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or a qualifying combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrate minimum proficiency in English writing on the USA Hire Writing Assessment; applicants who do not meet the minimum level are ineligible for further consideration.
• Education used to meet qualifications must be from an institution accredited or pre-accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. accredited education or receive full credit at a U.S. accredited institution; documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
• Federal salary payments must be made by direct deposit.
• A one-year probationary period may be required.
• Participate in E-Verify as part of employment eligibility verification.

Responsibilities

• Assist with criminal litigation or appeals at all levels, from investigation through filing pleadings with the court.
• Prepare filings and exhibits for trials or appeals in support of attorneys.
• Organize case documents, conduct first-level document review, and coordinate document productions.
• Proofread and cite-check legal briefs, memoranda, and other documents for compliance with Bluebook and/or other legal citation and style requirements.
• Conduct document searches using document management databases such as Relativity.
• Produce clear, well-written work products free of errors.
• Prepare for interviews, depositions, hearings, and appeals.
• Conduct thorough research in legal and non-legal databases and provide information in response to a wide range of questions.
• Prepare and organize evidence, discovery, and trial exhibits, including statistical charts, graphs, and maps, for presentation in court.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive range of federal employee benefits; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed