Paralegal Specialist

Offices, Boards and Divisions•Washington, DC

About The Position

This position is located in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The Paralegal Specialist performs legal and factual research and related work in support of attorneys handling civil rights cases and matters. The role includes organizing case files and tracking systems, preparing written materials and legal documents, analyzing evidence and investigative reports, conducting interviews, supporting document review and production, and coordinating depositions. The position may be filled at the GS-09 or GS-11 level. Qualifications may be met through specialized experience, qualifying graduate education, or a combination of education and experience. The announcement also describes federal employment conditions, including U.S. citizenship, security screening, possible probationary or trial periods, and resume and qualification-documentation requirements.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service or exempt.
Must meet the qualifications for at least one advertised grade level, GS-09 or GS-11, by the announcement’s closing date.
For GS-09 specialized experience: one year 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.
For GS-09 education qualification: a related master's or equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.B. or J.D.; qualifying combinations of graduate education and experience are also accepted, with graduate education exceeding one full year.
For GS-11 specialized experience: one year equivalent to GS-09, including taking notes during attorney proffers and witness interviews and preparing memoranda from those notes; performing legal research for memoranda, briefs, and similar documents; and advising junior paralegals or distributing assignments to them on behalf of attorneys.
For GS-11 education qualification: a related Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or a related LL.M.; qualifying combinations of graduate education and experience are also accepted, with graduate education exceeding two full years.
Applicants relying on education must have completed the degree before applying and provide required academic documentation; degrees and coursework must be from appropriately accredited institutions.
Experience used to qualify must be documented in the resume, including month and year employment began and ended; part-time experience is prorated.
Resume must not exceed two pages and must support responses to the online questionnaire and demonstrate the required specialized experience.
May be required to complete pre-employment security screening, including drug screening; continued employment depends on successful completion and adjudication of the investigation.
May be required to complete a one-year probationary period or a two-year trial period.
Foreign education used to qualify must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. accredited education or receive full credit at an accredited U.S. college or university; documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Responsibilities

Update and supplement tracking systems and maintain logically organized, accessible case files and documents.
Prepare correspondence, memoranda, justifications, and other written documentation about researched aspects of 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 papers in accordance with court practices, style conventions, court-specific rules, and Department practices.
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 determine 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 for document review and production, and court presentations.
Arrange depositions, including securing court reporting services and office space, drafting subpoenas, and obtaining process servers.