Paralegal Specialist (Appellate)
What you'd do
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 25-CAE-13034526-MS
Major duties
If selected for this position, you will serve as a Paralegal Specialist within the Appellate Division of the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California. You will support Appellate Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSA) by providing a variety of paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a practical knowledge of law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures. Typical work assignments will include: Conduct legal research on cases and issues identified by AUSAs, utilizing statutes, case law, regulations, court rules, legal periodicals, and policy documents Prepare drafts on a variety of legal documents, such as pleadings, memoranda of law, trial briefs, appellate briefs, summonses, complaints, indictments, answers, motion papers, and stipulations. Review and organize complex factual material and other documentary data for appellate briefing. Provide advice on the most efficient method for preparing legal documents. Generate tables, proofread drafts, and check citations in drafts with efficiency. Develop and enter various case material into a computer database. Maintain calendars and track deadlines for court filings. Provides advanced case support to AUSAs by reviewing witness materials, identifying deficiencies and coordinating needed investigative follow-up. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
What you need to qualify
GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience. Specialized experience One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing legal research using statues, case law, regulations court rules, policy documents, and electronic databases such as Westlaw and Lexis. Examples of specialized experience may include the following: summarizing findings into memoranda, annotated references, bibliographies, and organized research packages to support appellate litigation: drafting pleadings, memoranda, briefs, motions, and other legal documents by incorporating legal references, analyzing precedents, proofreading, and citation checks for accuracy; assisting with oral-argument preparation by gathering and indexing briefs, case law, and record materials under established procedures. -OR- Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g. Criminal Justice, law): a Mater's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B. or J.D.); OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. 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: 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. 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/.
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