Paralegal Specialist

Major duties include but are not limited to the following: GS-07 Draft routine pleadings, correspondence, memorandas, and other legal documents using established formats. Review legal documents for completeness (proper format, grammatical accuracy, and compliance with established legal procedures) before submission to attorneys.

Conduct basic legal research using statutes, regulations, agency policies, court decisions, legal databases, and reference materials to locate applicable authorities. Prepare factual chronologies, document summaries, and case information for attorney review. GS-09 Verify citations and legal authorities to support attorneys.

Draft routine pleadings, correspondence, memoranda, and other legal documents using established formats. Participates in interviewing potential witnesses, union representatives, claimants, grievants, and employees to gather information and arranging for subpoenas and indexing/abstracting depositions.

Assists in E-Filing, and responding to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and requests for agency testimony and record in third-­party actions (Third Party Subpoena cases). GS-11 Summarizes findings or documents for use by attorneys in preparing legal documents.

Identifies the need for uniform procedures and standards to facilitate legal activities and related administrative processes and avoid duplication of effort and undue delay in accomplishing objectives.

Interview potential witnesses, union representatives, claimants, grievants, and employees to gather information and arranging for subpoenas and indexing/abstracting depositions.

Review discovery materials, identifying appropriate objections, gathering documents, and making redactions to those documents consistent with the governmental privileges permitted in federal litigation.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Position titles alone cannot be used to determine if you are qualified. Please list dates in MM/DD/YY format. This is imperative in determining if whether you have at least one year of creditable specialized experience.

Dates will not be assumed. Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. You must meet the Specialized Experience and/or Education Substitution to qualify for Paralegal Specialist, as described below.

For GS-07: Applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-05 in the Federal Service.

Applicants must demonstrate at least two (2) of the specialized experience statements listed here: (1) Utilize basic legal principles, terminology, legal research techniques to perform basic litigation support assignments using established methods and procedures.

(2) Knowledge of the litigation activities of the agency sufficient to gather and analyze data and to evaluate its usefulness in researching legal issues. (3) Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing to obtain factual information, prepare written summaries, and support attorneys throughout the litigation process.

OR- 1 full year of graduate level education OR- A Bachelor's degree in a related field that provides me with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of this position with Superior Academic Achievement based on one of the following: Graduating in the upper 3rd of my class; or having a cumulative undergraduate GPA of or at least 3.0 out of 4.0, or a GPA of at least 3.5 out of a 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in my major field; or being elected to a national scholastic honor society.

OR - A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that provided the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position.

For GS-09 : Applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-07 in the Federal Service OR meet the substitution of education OR combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described below.

Applicants must demonstrate at least three (3) of the specialized experience statements listed here: (1) Utilize principles, concepts, and methods of legal research and analysis sufficient to perform recurring case development and documentation assignments which are typically covered by established precedents.

(2) Knowledge of the litigation activities of the agency sufficient to gather and analyze data and to evaluate its usefulness in researching complex legal issues.

(3) Advanced knowledge of office automation software, legal case management systems, and document preparation techniques sufficient to prepare legal correspondence, presentations, spreadsheet software, reports, pleadings, and maintain electronic case files.

(4) Communicate effectively orally and in writing to convey research findings to attorneys and other parties, and obtain information. OR - Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of graduate level education, or LLB. or J.D.; if related.

OR - A combination of specialized experience and graduate level education that provided the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position.

For GS-11 : Applicants must demonstrate 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-09 in the Federal Service OR meet the substitution of education OR combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described below.

Applicants must demonstrate at least three (3) of the specialized experience statements listed here: (1) Recommend and make tentative arguments and provide justification and information and documents required to support the arguments made by attorneys assigned to the case.

(2) Developing and refining evidence, and knowledge of how to incorporate additional evidence into case files and presentations.

(3) Advanced knowledge of office automation software, legal case management systems, and document preparation techniques sufficient to prepare legal correspondence, presentations, spreadsheet software, reports, pleadings, and maintain electronic case files.

(4) Communicate independently and effectively orally and in writing to convey research findings to attorneys and other parties, and obtain information. (5) Work with legal reference sources in agency manuals, administrative decisions, and court decisions to perform applicable legal research.

OR - 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 graduate level education that provided the specific knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position.