Paralegal Specialist (Indian Country)

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys•Helena, MT

About The Position

The Paralegal Specialist serves in the Indian Country Department of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Montana. The position organizes and prepares research materials, determines information pertinent to cases, drafts legal documents identifying legal or factual issues, locates precedents, and develops legally supportable conclusions. The specialist may assist Assistant United States Attorneys in court during hearings and trials, and participates in pre-trial witness conferences to identify deficiencies in case materials and matters needing investigation. The position also determines which statutes, regulations, cases, procedures, or policies require research, assembles relevant information, prepares initial summaries, and recommends whether the information is appropriate. Responsibilities and assignment complexity increase with training and experience. The position is announced at GS-9 and GS-11. Applicants must meet the applicable qualification requirements through specialized experience, education, or an allowed combination of education and experience. The role requires U.S. citizenship or nationality and is subject to pre-employment and continuing background adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, tax, and drug checks. A one-year probationary period may be required. Relocation expenses will not be authorized; a recruitment or relocation incentive may be considered. The Department of Justice offers federal employee benefits including paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, telework, life and health insurance, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or nationality.
Meet the GS-9 or GS-11 qualification requirements through specialized experience, education, or a permitted combination of education and experience.
For GS-9 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-7 performing paralegal or legal work demonstrating basic legal research knowledge and the ability to interpret legal decisions; qualifying examples include examining legal documents, researching and evaluating data, drafting legal documents, using filing systems, documenting findings, and reviewing legal references and case files.
For GS-9 education: a related-field master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. For a combination, graduate education must exceed one full year.
For GS-11 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-9 performing analytical paralegal or legal work demonstrating practical knowledge of law, litigation and judicial processes, and applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures; qualifying examples include independently analyzing legal decisions and case files, researching precedents, composing legal briefs and pre-trial documents, interviewing witnesses, and preparing evidence and documents.
For GS-11 education: a related-field Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. For a combination, graduate education must exceed two full years.
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. accredited education; documentation must be in English or accompanied by an English translation.
Satisfactory pre-employment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing; continued employment depends on favorable background-investigation adjudication.
Register for Selective Service if applicable.
Meet time-in-grade requirements, if a federal employee, 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.
A one-year probationary period may be required.

Responsibilities

Organize and prepare research materials and determine which information is pertinent to a case.
Draft legal documents identifying legal or factual issues, locating precedents, and developing legally supportable conclusions.
Assist Assistant United States Attorneys in court during hearings and trials, as needed.
Participate in pre-trial witness conferences and identify deficiencies in case materials and matters requiring further investigation.
Determine which statutes, regulations, cases, procedures, and policies need to be researched and assembled; prepare initial summaries and recommendations about the appropriateness of the data.
As experience and training progress, take on increasingly complex assignments.