Paralegal Specialist

Offices, Boards and Divisions•Washington, DC

About The Position

This position is located in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. The Paralegal Specialist performs legal and factual research and related work supporting attorneys handling civil rights cases and matters. The role includes organizing and maintaining case files and tracking systems; preparing written materials and legal documents; analyzing evidence and investigative reports; supporting interviews, document review, court filings, and depositions; and providing guidance or distributing assignments to junior paralegals at the GS-11 level.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or nationality.
Successful completion of any required pre-employment security screening, including drug screening; continued employment depends on successful completion and adjudication of the investigation.
Selective Service registration, or an approved exemption, for males born on or after December 31, 1959.
Status candidates applying for a higher grade must meet the time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at the next lower grade by the announcement closing date.
Applicants must submit a completed performance evaluation or appraisal from within the past 18 months showing a final rating, or a statement explaining why an evaluation or rating is unavailable.
Resume may not exceed two pages.
For GS-09, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07, including taking notes during attorney proffers and witness interviews and preparing memoranda from those notes, and performing legal research for memoranda, briefs, and similar documents; OR qualifying graduate education (a master's or equivalent, two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to one, or a related LL.B. or J.D.); OR a qualifying combination of graduate education and experience, with graduate education exceeding one full year.
For GS-11, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09, including taking notes during attorney proffers and witness interviews and preparing memoranda, performing legal research for memoranda, briefs, and similar documents, and providing guidance or advice to junior paralegals and/or distributing assignments to them on behalf of attorneys; OR qualifying graduate education (a Ph.D. or equivalent, three years of progressively higher graduate education leading to one, or a related LL.M.); OR a qualifying combination of graduate education and experience, with graduate education exceeding two full years.
Applicants relying on education must have completed the degree before applying and submit education documentation; selected applicants must submit an official college transcript.
Degrees and coursework used for qualification must be from appropriately accredited institutions. Foreign education must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. accredited education or receive full credit from a U.S. accredited college or university; documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Applicants who are current Federal employees applying for a higher grade must provide an SF-50 documenting time-in-grade; applicable time-in-grade rules also apply to former Federal employees seeking reinstatement and current Federal employees applying under VEOA.
Resume must document qualifying experience with month and year start and end dates and provide specific details supporting qualification claims; part-time experience is prorated.
All eligibility, qualification, and education requirements must be met by the announcement closing date and continue to be met throughout the hiring process.
A probationary or trial period may be required; if required, it will be one year or two years.
New hires must meet DOJ E-Verify employment eligibility confirmation requirements.

Responsibilities

Update and supplement tracking systems and maintain a logically organized file system for easily accessible and retrievable files and documents.
Prepare correspondence, memoranda, justifications, and other written documentation presenting research on cases or issues.
Prepare interview notes, memoranda, and reports for attorney review, summarizing allegations, facts, investigation results, and recommended case dispositions.
Prepare legal documents, including declarations, memoranda, interview summaries, factual summaries, subpoenas, discovery documents and responses, and legal correspondence.
Proofread, cite-check, finalize, and file briefs and other substantive legal documents in court, following applicable practices, style conventions, court-specific rules, and Department practice.
Conduct preliminary analysis of the legal sufficiency of information in declarations, complaints, FOIA/Privacy Act requests, and similar documents.
Review and analyze investigative reports and evidence to assess whether cases have sufficient evidentiary support for enforcement.
Independently conduct or assist attorneys with interviews of investigative sources and prospective witnesses.
Use document management tools to support document review, production, and court presentation.
Arrange depositions, including securing court reporting services and office space, drafting subpoenas, and obtaining process servers.
At the GS-11 level, provide guidance and advice to junior paralegals and/or distribute assignments to them on behalf of attorneys.