Paralegal Specialist Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-DC-12703787-MS Department Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Salary $84,601.00 to $109,975.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 2/28/2025 Close Date 3/6/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is distinct among United States Attorney's Offices due to the breadth and scale of its work. It acts as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. Locally, it handles cases ranging from misdemeanor drug possession to murders, while federally, it handles cases ranging from child pornography to gang, financial fraud, and terrorism. The Office represents the district in civil suits.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Well-qualified surplus/displaced Federal employees (CTAP/ICTAP) in the local area and current/former Federal employees in permanent competitive service positions (status candidates). VEOA eligible and those eligible for non-competitive appointment under special hiring authority, e.g., Individuals with Disabilities, Military Spouses, former Overseas employees, VISTA/Peace Corps, some Land Management employees, and certain veterans, e.g., VRA, 30% Disabled. See link in "How to Apply."

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in the Appellate Division's Paralegal Support Section in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) that is responsible for providing a variety of paralegal support assignments, which includes providing paralegal services to one or more supervisory/non-supervisory Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs). The incumbent provides substantive legal support to AUSA's in a variety of specialized litigative activities related to civil and/or criminal appeals. 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 U.S. 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.
  • Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
  • You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

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/.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) -VEOA allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement.

Special Employment Consideration - Persons with disabilities, veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, certain other veterans, spouses of certain members of the armed forces, and returning Peace Corps volunteers are examples of individuals who are potentially eligible for non-competitive appointments. For further information, click on the links provided below . You must specify in your online questionnaire under what authority you wish to be considered and submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.
Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities Links:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Types-of-Appointments

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 http://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 http://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.

Additional information

Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.

The Department of Justice 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.

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.

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. See http://www.sss.gov/.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Political Appointees (Current or Former): 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.

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 complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) 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 online 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 you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

You will be rated on the following Competencies (see The 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

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, 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 (month/day/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time). 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. (cover letter optional)
-Required if you meet qualifications based on education: An unofficial college transcript (Note: If you are selected for this position, an official transcript will be required prior to your first day.) and foreign education evaluation documentation, if applicable, as described under the "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement.
-Required if you are a current or former Federal employee: a recent copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing title, series, grade, and full performance level (FPL); AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. Please note your SF-50 must include your FPL in the remark section (e.g., appointment, reassignment, promotion actions), pay adjustments and awards do not include this information so they are not acceptable.
-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: VEOA documentation (your DD-214, Member Copy 4).
-If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/06/2025 the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on 03/06/2025.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments.
Click here for Computer System Requirements
(https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements)
6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12703787To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. 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/

Reasonable Accommodation 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 reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, 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

Agency contact information

HR Operations USAO-DC
Address
US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia
601 D Street NW
Washington, DC 20002
US

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 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

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.


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


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