Legal Assistant (OA) Job

Vacancy No. ENRD-25-025-DE Department Offices, Boards and Divisions
Salary $44,969.00 to $59,986.00 Grade 5 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/15/2025 Close Date 1/29/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Denver, COWashington, DC


Summary

This position is located in the Tribal Resources Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Section's suits include seeking to establish tribal water rights, protecting treaty hunting and fishing rights, remedying trespasses on tribal lands, and establishing reservation boundaries and rights to land. The incumbent will provide assistance to Section attorneys by performing administrative and legal support tasks associated with Section litigation.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

United States citizens or nationals

Duties

This vacancy is also being announced concurrently with Announcement# ENRD-25-025-MP for employees with Federal status or eligibility and applicants eligible for special appointment authorities. Please review that announcement to determine if you are eligible to apply. One selection will be made in either Denver, CO or Washington, DC.

As a Legal Assistant, you will join a well-respected team of Legal Assistants who are responsible for performing a wide range of administrative and legal support tasks to support the Section's federal district court litigation practice:

  • Reviewing and analyzing case materials to become familiar with the case or matter.
  • Creating and maintaining litigation case files of pleadings, discovery documents, and correspondence.
  • Organizing and maintaining legal and other reference materials.
  • Utilizing word processing software including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat to draft, edit, and prepare a variety of routine documents and correspondence.
  • Utilizing automated legal databases, including Relativity, Westlaw, Lexis, or other similar database to conduct searches for or retrieve legal documents, court cases, and statutory references.
  • Retrieving, organizing, and assembling trial exhibits, affidavits, legal documents, briefing books, and other case materials to prepare for trials or other litigation projects.
  • Arranging travel reservations; preparing and completing necessary travel authorizations and vouchers; and coordinating with appropriate offices to ensure prompt payment.
  • Directing inquiries from visitors and callers to the appropriate individuals for action.
  • Preparing correspondence and administrative forms using proper format, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
  • Conveying information to customers and staff in a clear and convincing manner.
  • Calendaring case deadlines and composing routine legal documents e.g., motions or requests for extension of time or proposed orders, requiring knowledge of legal procedures.
  • Facilitating the exchange of information between litigation support staff, paralegals, and attorneys.
  • Calendaring and arranging meetings for attorneys and paralegals, including locating meeting space and arranging teleconference or videoconference, as needed.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • You must complete a background investigation to include pre-employment drug testing.
  • Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
  • You must complete or have completed a one-year probationary period.
  • You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.

Qualifications

To qualify at GS-5, you must meet one of the following:

A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-4 Federal grade level applying standardized rules, processes, and procedures concerning commonly utilized general reference sources and legal research tools to perform a variety of legal support work. This experience must include preparing correspondence and administrative forms using proper format, grammar, punctuation, and spelling; or

B. Successfully completed 4 years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university; or

C. A combination of experience described in Letter A above and post high school education in excess of the first 60 semester hours, that together, totals one year of specialized experience. Note: one full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

Typing Requirement: This position requires a qualified typist with a minimum typing speed of 40 words per minute. If you do not self certify on the occupational/assessment questionnaire that you have the required typing proficiency, you will be rated ineligible for this position. This position requires office automation skills. Some examples of office automation skills include database management and various word processing software packages (MS Office Suite: Excel, PowerPoint, and Word) and database applications.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skill and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

YOUR RESUMÉ MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions.

Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

To preview questions, please click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12669051

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. The Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in DOJ with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

If you have received written notification of your eligibility for consideration under CTAP/ICTAP, you may receive special priority consideration for this position, if this vacancy is within your CTAP/ICTAP eligibility and you are well-qualified for the position. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria (for scored examining) OR rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria.

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veteran preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/

To verify your veteran preference entitlement, submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214; official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. If you are claiming 10-point preference, you must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reserve side of the SF-15, Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference. If you are claiming 10-point DERIVED PREFERENCE as a relative you must submit Member Copy 4 of the veteran's DD-214 and an SF-15 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of the SF-15. If you fail to do so, you will receive consideration as a non-veteran.

Schedule A: DOJ welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department. DOJ also encourages eligible Schedule A applicants to submit their resumes to resume@benderconsult.com, and reference "Federal Career Opportunities" in the subject line. Additional information is found at: www.benderconsult.com

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov

Benefits: DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. Please review the link below for an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under our Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your qualifications will be reviewed based on your application materials (e.g., resumé, supporting documents) and the responses you provide on the application questionnaire. When addressing the education and/or specialized experience qualification statement, you must present evidence of that education and/or experience in your resumé. If the specialized experience statement is merely repeated in your resumé, you may be deemed ineligible.

If you meet the minimum qualifications, your application will then be compared to your responses to the online assessment questionnaire(s) that measure important competencies required to perform the job. If you self-rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Applies Technology to Tasks
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Database Management Systems
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
  • Oral Communication
  • Writing

Based on your assessment responses, your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Within each category, Veteran Preference eligibles will be listed at the top of that category and will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Applicants in the Best Qualified category are referred to the hiring official for employment consideration.

Please Note: Additional candidates may be selected if more positions become available in the Division within 90 days after the HR office issues the selection certificate.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here:https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Required Documents

You must submit a detailed resumé containing the following information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

  • Official position title;
  • Employer name and contact information;
  • Start and end dates (month and year);
  • A detailed list of duties & accomplishments,
  • Your highest salary (or Federal grade/step) achieved; and
  • Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time.
Additional required documents must be submitted by the closing date of the job announcement. Documentation requirements may vary from applicant to applicant based on your eligibility claims. It is your responsibility to carefully review the list below to determine which documents are required for your application.

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
  1. Resumé (cover letter optional)
  2. Unofficial school transcripts if you are using education to qualify, in whole or in part
  3. Documentation to support your claim for veteran preference, if applicable
  4. CTAP/ICTAP documentation, if applicable
  5. Your online responses to the Occupational Questionnaire.
If you are using education to qualify for this position, or if education is required:
  1. You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award.
  2. Your transcript must come from a nationally-accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education.
  3. Please do not submit electronic transcripts with documentation security protection. These may prevent our application system from accepting and processing the document.
  4. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education. Your transcript must also be in English or have an English translation included.
If you are a Veteran or a qualifying parent or spouse:
  1. Submit all DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, Member-4 Copy) forms.
  2. If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating you will need to submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
  3. If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter.
  4. For more information on each type of Veterans Preference, and the documentation required for each, see FedsHireVets.
If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP:
  1. Submit your separation notice or agency RIF letter from your agency.
  2. If you have not yet been separated, provide the letter of intent to separate you from the agency because of a RIF.
  3. Also submit your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential and duty location.
  4. Additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility can be found at http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp
Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. Do not include the following types of information in your profile or resume:
  • Classified or government sensitive information
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Photos of yourself
  • Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.
  • Encrypted and digitally signed documents
If your resumé includes a photograph or other inappropriate content, you may not be considered for this vacancy.

How to Apply

You must apply online through USAJOBS. Click on the APPLY button. Follow the prompts to login or create an account, answer a few questions, and submit all required documents by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date to receive consideration.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). All of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Office of Human Resources using the contact information below.

Agency contact information

Carmen Browne
Address
Tribal Resources Section
150 M Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualification requirements. Based on your qualifications and assessment scores, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the hiring official. We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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