Paralegal Specialist
What you'd do
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is unique in the size and the scope of its work. It serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. On the local side, AUSAs assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides. On the federal side, AUSAs assigned to the Criminal Division prosecute federal crimes. The Civil Division further defends the United States in civil suits brought in the District of Columbia.
Major duties
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) is recruiting highly-motivated applicants to fill paralegal specialist vacancies in the Superior Court Division (SCD). The SCD has primary responsibility for prosecuting adult criminal cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Division handles the highest volume of felony and misdemeanor cases prosecuted by the Office, including homicides, sexual assaults, carjackings, kidnappings, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence, narcotics and weapons possession, and quality of life offenses. If selected, you may be assigned to one of the Division's four litigating Sections: General Crimes, Major Crimes, Homicide, or Sex Offense and Domestic Violence. More information about the work of these sections can be found on USAO-DC's website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/superior-court-division. Please indicate in your cover letter which section you are interested in being considered for employment. -The General Crimes Section includes four units: the Case Initiation Unit, the Grand Jury Unit, the Felony Trial Unit, and the Misdemeanor Trial Unit. This section handles most of the cases prosecuted in the D.C. Superior Court. --The Case Initiation Unit handles the intake of new cases, arraignments, preliminary hearings, and other preliminary matters; the Grand Jury Unit manages issues relating to the operation of several Superior Court grand juries and handles the grand jury presentation of Felony Trial Unit cases; the Felony Trial Unit is responsible for prosecuting many felony cases brought in the Superior Court after the indictment and handles cases involving narcotics distribution, weapons offenses, and stolen vehicles; and the Misdemeanor Trial Unit prosecutes most Misdemeanor crimes in the District of Columbia, including offenses involving narcotics and weapons possession, theft, animal cruelty, destruction of property, threats, unlawful entries, and simple assault. -The Major Crimes Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting violent crimes in the District of Columbia including non-fatal shootings, home-invasion burglaries, armed robberies, and carjackings. The complexity of the cases assigned to a prosecutor in the section increases as the prosecutor gains experience in the section. The section also prosecutes felony financial crimes and elder abuse. -The Homicide Section is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of homicides committed in the District of Columbia. There is also a Specialized Cases Unit within the Homicide Section that focuses on murders involving young children, domestic violence, sex crimes, vehicular homicides, and cold cases.? -The Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section (SODV) has responsibility for the investigation and prosecution of a wide variety of cases brought in D.C. Superior Court involving intrafamily offenses (more commonly known as "domestic violence") (violence between former or current intimate partners, family members, roommates, and/or individuals who have a romantic partner in common), sexual abuse of children and adults, child physical abuse, sex and labor trafficking, voyeurism, stalking, unlawful publication of illicit images, and violations of the D.C. Sex Offender Registration Act laws. The Section also handles all of the intake functions of these Superior Court cases, from reviewing arrest warrants to screening and charging these cases. Typical work assignments will include: - Obtains, reviews, analyzes, and summarizes evidence, including police body worn camera footage, surveillance video, police paperwork, and digital evidence. - Supports AUSAs at hearings, grand jury, and trials, including assisting with exhibits, witness preparation, strategy, and presentation. - Prepares and organizes evidence for discovery utilizing specialized software. - Conducts factual and legal research, drafting legal pleadings and legal process such as subpoenas and warrants. - Corresponds directly with law enforcement, court employees, defense counsel, and other third parties regarding ongoing investigations and cases. - Researches relevant legal issues and preparing a variety of substantive legal documents. - Interacts with law enforcement, court personnel, victims and witnesses in preparing for court proceedings. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 26-DC-13003985-MS.
What you need to qualify
To be qualified for the GS-09 Paralegal Specialist, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal Service; or a master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related; or a combination of specialized experience and education. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in applying the knowledge of the principles, concepts, and methods of legal research and analysis sufficient to perform assigned duties, under supervision, related to criminal prosecution proceedings. Specialized Experience is defined as preparing and composing a variety of substantive legal documents and correspondence under supervision; collecting and evaluating evidence in connection with litigation; preparing exhibits for court presentations in hearings and trials, including visual materials such as charts, diagrams, photographs and models; providing case management by requesting, organizing and indexing legal documents, information, evidence and exhibits; performing data searches utilizing databases. (meeting 3 of the 5) OR Education: a master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D, if related (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law). Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. OR Combining Education and Experience: a combination of specialized experience and education which when combined equal 100% of the requirements. Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year. GS-11: To be qualified for the GS-11 Paralegal Specialist, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal Service; or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related; or a combination of specialized experience and education. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized Experience is defined as applying the knowledge of the principles, concepts, and methods of legal research and analysis sufficient to perform assigned duties related to criminal prosecution proceedings. Specialized Experience is defined as preparing a variety of substantive legal documents and correspondence; collecting analyzing and evaluating evidence in connection with litigation; preparing exhibits for court presentations in hearings and trials, including visual materials such as charts, diagrams, photographs and models; providing case management by requesting, organizing and indexing legal documents, information, evidence and exhibits; performing data searches utilizing databases. (meeting 3 of the 5) OR Education: a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. OR Combining Education and Experience: a combination of specialized experience and education which when combined equal 100% of the requirements. Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 2 full years. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Before you apply
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