Legal Administrative Specialist

Summary

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.

Duties

If selected, you will serve as a Case Manager for the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California. You will be responsible for providing a wide range of legal and administrative support services to multiple attorneys in various criminal matters. At the full performance level, duties will include (but are not limited to): Managing discovery in a variety of criminal matters, to include coordinating with agency partners to collect materials, reviewing incoming materials in a variety of paper and electronic formats to assess responsiveness, organizing voluminous materials for efficient review by the case team, preparing materials for production, and maintaining detailed indices of materials received and produced; Drawing upon knowledge of the facts and legal issues in an assigned case and using various functions of document review software tools to organize and review discovery materials; Assisting attorneys with hearing and trial preparation, and during live court proceedings, to include maintaining witness lists and schedules, drafting subpoenas, preparing, assembling and managing exhibits, and operating trial presentation software in the courtroom; Conducting legal and factual research in legal and non-legal databases in support of criminal cases, and evaluating the need for and drafting a variety of legal documents such as routine motions, proposed orders, non-disclosure orders, extensions of deadlines, and notices that require good working knowledge of legal procedures and specialized terminology; Providing administrative support as assigned, to include, independently entering and updating case management software, closing paper and electronic case files, procuring transcripts, expert witness contracts, and other case activities requiring budget approval, scheduling case meetings and witness interviews, calculating and tracking deadlines for legal filings, and electronically filing pleadings with the court via email or PACER; and, Proofreading and editing legal briefs, including verifying citations to law and facts against original sources, and conducting further research as needed. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. This position is considered a career ladder opportunity, with a full performance level of GS-09. If selected at a lower grade level, you may be non-competitively promoted to the next grade level at the discretion of your supervisor and is contingent upon meeting regulatory and legal requirements for promotion, satisfactory performance, and the availability of higher-level work. Promotion is not guaranteed, and no promise of promotion is implied.

Qualifications

GS-07: To be eligible at the GS-07 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, a combination of Education and Experience, OR Superior Academic Achievement. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service or equivalent paid/nonpaid experience in the private or public sector. Specialized Experience is defined as experience working in a legal environment performing routine legal assistance assignments that demonstrate a basic knowledge of litigative procedures. Examples of specialized experience include: assisting attorneys by preparing routine legal documents (e.g., basic motions, notices, subpoenas, proposed orders, or routine correspondence); assisting attorneys with the discovery process, such as by indexing and organizing discovery items received; transmitting discovery productions, maintaining discovery logs, and tracking productions to opposing counsel; assisting attorneys with hearing and trial preparation such as by compiling, organizing and indexing evidentiary exhibits; compiling witness and exhibit lists; and assembling trial notebooks; assisting attorneys with case development and preparation, such as by performing basic legal or factual research or preparing written summaries of evidentiary materials; assisting attorneys in trial preparation and courtroom presentations, such as by preparing trial exhibits such as charts, graphs and timelines and presenting trial exhibits using trial presentation software in court. Education: One full year of graduate level education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Paralegal Sciences, Law) leading to a master's degree or higher. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. Superior Academic Achievement: Possess a Bachelor's Degree or expect to complete the requirements for a Bachelor's degree within the next 9 months AND possess at least one of the following criteria: class standing in the upper third of the graduating class; an overall GPA of 3.0 OR at least a 3.0 based on courses completed during the final two years of my curriculum; a GPA of at least 3.5 based on the average of required courses completed in my major field OR based on the average of required courses completed during the final two years of my curriculum; OR election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. GS-09: To be eligible at the GS-09 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-07 level in the Federal service or equivalent paid/nonpaid experience in the private or public sector. Specialized Experience is defined as experience working under supervision and guidance, performing routine litigation support assignments in support of discovery and case development, which require a basic knowledge of processing, review, and/or production of commonly found electronically stored information (ESI). Examples of specialized experience include: managing discovery in a variety of formats, such as by receiving, indexing, and organizing incoming discovery materials, and preparing, transmitting, and tracking discovery productions; assisting attorneys with evaluating discovery or evidentiary materials' value or relevance to assigned criminal or civil cases; conducting straightforward factual and legal research in support of assigned criminal or civil cases, utilizing legal databases and public sources; drafting routine legal documents and correspondence, such as requests for extensions, letters transmitting discovery, routine notices, and written summaries of witness statements or documentary evidence; assisting attorneys with hearing or trial preparation, such as by preparing trial subpoenas, assembling evidentiary exhibits, maintaining witness lists and schedules, and preparing demonstrative exhibits; supporting attorneys during court proceedings or other live case presentations, such as by using trial presentation software and equipment to display exhibits or demonstratives, maintaining accounting system of exhibits, and managing witnesses. Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Paralegal Sciences, Law): a master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B.); 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. 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/.

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be evaluated and rated using 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 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 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 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 submit 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 cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements. Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job: Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade), Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments. 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 "Qualifications" section of this vacancy announcement. -Required, if applicable: Veterans' Preference documentation. -Required for Veterans' Preference- If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the ty...

GS-07: To be eligible at the GS-07 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, a combination of Education and Experience, OR Superior Academic Achievement. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service or equivalent paid/nonpaid experience in the private or public sector. Specialized Experience is defined as experience working in a legal environment performing routine legal assistance assignments that demonstrate a basic knowledge of litigative procedures. Examples of specialized experience include: assisting attorneys by preparing routine legal documents (e.g., basic motions, notices, subpoenas, proposed orders, or routine correspondence); assisting attorneys with the discovery process, such as by indexing and organizing discovery items received; transmitting discovery productions, maintaining discovery logs, and tracking productions to opposing counsel; assisting attorneys with hearing and trial preparation such as by compiling, organizing and indexing evidentiary exhibits; compiling witness and exhibit lists; and assembling trial notebooks; assisting attorneys with case development and preparation, such as by performing basic legal or factual research or preparing written summaries of evidentiary materials; assisting attorneys in trial preparation and courtroom presentations, such as by preparing trial exhibits such as charts, graphs and timelines and presenting trial exhibits using trial presentation software in court. Education: One full year of graduate level education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Paralegal Sciences, Law) leading to a master's degree or higher. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. Superior Academic Achievement: Possess a Bachelor's Degree or expect to complete the requirements for a Bachelor's degree within the next 9 months AND possess at least one of the following criteria: class standing in the upper third of the graduating class; an overall GPA of 3.0 OR at least a 3.0 based on courses completed during the final two years of my curriculum; a GPA of at least 3.5 based on the average of required courses completed in my major field OR based on the average of required courses completed during the final two years of my curriculum; OR election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. GS-09: To be eligible at the GS-09 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-07 level in the Federal service or equivalent paid/nonpaid experience in the private or public sector. Specialized Experience is defined as experience working under supervision and guidance, performing routine litigation support assignments in support of discovery and case development, which require a basic knowledge of processing, review, and/or production of commonly found electronically stored information (ESI). Examples of specialized experience include: managing discovery in a variety of formats, such as by receiving, indexing, and organizing incoming discovery materials, and preparing, transmitting, and tracking discovery productions; assisting attorneys with evaluating discovery or evidentiary materials' value or relevance to assigned criminal or civil cases; conducting straightforward factual and legal research in support of assigned criminal or civil cases, utilizing legal databases and public sources; drafting routine legal documents and correspondence, such as requests for extensions, letters transmitting discovery, routine notices, and written summaries of witness statements or documentary evidence; assisting attorneys with hearing or trial preparation, such as by preparing trial subpoenas, assembling evidentiary exhibits, maintaining witness lists and schedules, and preparing demonstrative exhibits; supporting attorneys during court proceedings or other live case presentations, such as by using trial presentation software and equipment to display exhibits or demonstratives, maintaining accounting system of exhibits, and managing witnesses. Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Paralegal Sciences, Law): a master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B.); 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. 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/.