Summary
For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit www.justice.gov/usao/
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
This position is also being announced under Merit Promotion Procedures under Announcement No. 24-DC-12559803-MS.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
All U.S. Citizens and Nationals
Duties
This position is located in the Paralegal Support Section, Appellate Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC). The incumbent provides substantive legal support to Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in a variety of specialized litigative activities related to civil and/or criminal appeals.
The incumbent will perform a variety of complex paralegal support assignments relating to appellate practice, which includes providing paralegal services to one or more supervisory/non-supervisory Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Appellate Division. The work requires a specialized knowledge of the procedures and practices related to defending the criminal convictions or civil judgments obtained by the USAO-DC and bringing affirmative appeals to higher courts in response to rulings adverse to the United States. The incumbent will apply specialized knowledge of particular laws, regulations, precedents, and agency practices that directly affect the outcome of cases. Typical work assignments include:
- Serves as a senior paralegal specialist with responsibility for performing specialized legal research and writing in support of appellate practices, including cases of an especially complex or unprecedented nature.
- Assists appellate attorneys by conducting legal and factual research for appellate briefs, drafts pleadings and motions to be filed in the courts of appeals; locating and organizing materials that must be included in the record in connection with appeals and advisory services when these assignments require a specialized knowledge of law.
- Reviews and prepares a variety of substantive legal documents in final form in accordance with local and federal rules governing style and format. Prepares Table of Authorities listing all cases, statutes and other reference material cited in document, generates addendum of statutes cited and compiles, copies and collates record material and appendices for submission with briefs.
- Reviews trial records and exhibits to determine documents needed for government's record material to be filed with its appellate brief. Devises, evaluates, and adapts fact-finding and problem solving methods to handles voluminous records.
- Advises appellate attorneys of missing items in the records, and recommends solutions for obtaining that material such as filing motions to supplement the record and drafting such motions.
- Cite-checks and proofreads appellate briefs and motions.
- Prepares various pleadings related to government appeals. Coordinates with other divisions of the USAODC to file transcript status reports, status reports for cases held in abeyance, certificates of parties, rulings and related cases, and motions to govern further proceedings.
- Prepares responses to appellants' requests to unseal proceedings. Conducts factual inquiry into the merits of the requests, including conferring with trial AUSAs regarding the government's continued interest in keeping the record sealed.
- Monitors the progress of pending cases and initiates action to insure that legal pleadings, forms, reports, correspondence, and other documents are prepared and submitted within established deadlines.
- Compiles, organizes and indexes various discovery and evidence exhibits for appeals, witness testimony as it relates to specific criminal charge evidence, and develops and compiles record material to assist AUSA in preparing for their brief and argument.
- Uses established network and maintain databases, e.g., Lexis, Westlaw, RCIS, PACER, CASEVIEW, to perform data searches, report design, and other data retrieval assignments and generate reports of a recurring or special nature.
- Monitors electronic databases in two appellate courts and works to ensure that pleadings and other documents are properly filed in the court and distributed within the Appellate Division.
- Provides a variety of legal assistance and technical work requiring a specialized knowledge of processes, procedures, and practices to support legal activities. Support assignments of this nature involve the form, content and issues of legal instruments and documents, and the steps and procedures involved in e-filing, processing, storing, and retrieving legal actions and legal information pertaining to the activities of the USAO. Characteristic assignments of this nature include one or more of the following: serves as contact person for assigned cases and provides information and assistance concerning status or relevant procedural issues; exercises discretion and judgment in determining what information may be provided and to whom; provides advice to attorneys and other legal support staff on the most effective and efficient ways to prepare, present and maintain a variety of administrative legal documents, e.g., discovery letters, exhibit lists, jury instructions and subpoenas.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation
- You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
- If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
- You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
QUALIFICATIONS: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, OR Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience.
Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 level work in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the competencies needed to perform the job duties. Examples of specialized experience are: conducting independent legal research to verify citation and statutory references and prepare legal documents; applying knowledge of the litigation process, court rules and procedures to determine action needed and forms to be completed, time limits and processing requirements; using information technology to develop, prepare and monitor reports and the status of projects and assignments; communicating with management, office personnel, court staff, law enforcement and the public as a liaison for the division; using online databases to research information, legal research and case data; managing discovery and evidence in electronic and hard copy formats; provides automated litigation assistance to attorneys as needed for the appeal; using software applications and graphics hardware such as scanners and plotters; provides technical support, such as enlarging charts and photographs, duplicating tapes and videos, and marking exhibits.
OR
Education: One of the following types of education in a related field: 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.
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 3 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/
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.
OR
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 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.
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 DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you 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. If it is determined you meet minimum qualification requirements, your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest quality category (i.e., Best Qualified).
You will be rated on the following Competencies (see OPM Website for definitions):
Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Decision Making, Flexibility, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reasoning, Self-Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork
The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Required Documents
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
- Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (for full consideration you must include day/month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time) (cover letter optional).). 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 skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
- Required if you meet qualifications based on education: An unofficial college transcript.(Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcript will be required prior to your first day.) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Education" section of this vacancy announcement.
-Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.)
- Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation. See Required Veterans' Preference Documentation below. Please note, if you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming in your application, check the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire to indicate your preference, and submit the required documentation as specified below.
Required Veterans' Preference Documentation:
-In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates: 1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); 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.
In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title;
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
- Agency; and
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)
3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12555135
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, contact Ann Lawrence at Ann.Lawrence@usdoj.gov or (202) 252-6695 as soon as possible to arrange an alternative application process.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/03/2024 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your proof of submission in the event verification is needed.
Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
Next steps
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, to include a credit check, and drug test by urinalysis. We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.
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