Legal Research and Litigation Support Paralegal

Summary

PLEASE NOTE: Based on the current hiring restrictions, selectees may be subject to additional approvals prior to an offer being extended. This position is located at Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Office Of The Chief Counsel. As a Legal Research and Litigation Support Paralegal, you will provide assorted paralegal assistance to attorneys within OCC, with an emphasis on complex document reviews, document productions, and electronic discovery (e-discovery) matters.

Duties

The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position. Performs complex and comprehensive legal research and technical duties with respect to agency programs. Researches and analyze relevant statutes, regulations and case law using on-line resources such as Westlaw/Lexis, and where appropriate conducts research using law library resources. Creates, updates, and maintains databases in practice support applications, including but not limited to SalesForce or other similar matter management support and e-discovery software tools as required; supporting attorneys and legal staff in the use of these applications and providing training on these applications as necessary. With direction from an attorney, provides support for all phases of personnel and labor related litigation, including matters before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), MSPB and arbitrators, as well as other types of administrative litigation, including but not limited to Government Accountability Office (GAO) protests. Is responsible for document control of all transactional and programmatic legal documents submitted to agency or used within the office and agency.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé. For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: -Leading litigation support for cases by managing discovery, e-Discovery, and legal records in compliance with court, administrative forums, and agency requirements AND - Analyzing legal issues, drafted pleadings and other legal documents requiring minimal attorney revision and provided recommendations to attorneys AND - Advising attorneys on case strategy, and mentored junior paralegals to improve legal operations. For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: - Conducting legal research and analyzing statutes, regulations, case law, and evidence to support litigation strategy and legal recommendations AND -Managing discovery and e-Discovery activities, preparing legal memorandum and discovery responses, and ensuring compliance with court, administrative forums, and agency requirements AND -Coordinating with attorneys, investigators, auditors, and program officials to resolve legal issues and manage complex case activities. 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 You may qualify with a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, your total qualifying experience is calculated as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then, your education is calculated as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. The two percentages are added together. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education. For the GS-9, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: - Conducting legal research to support litigation and administrative proceedings, AND -Drafting legal correspondence and other legal materials while reviewing case files for accuracy and compliance AND -Managing case files, tracked deadlines supporting document productions, and assisting attorneys with trial and/or hearing preparation. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR You may qualify with a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, your total qualifying experience is calculated as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then, your education is calculated as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. The two percentages are added together. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education. For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks. For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-9 level for 52 weeks. For the GS-9, you must have been at the GS-7 level for 52 weeks. .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., résumé, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. 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. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Referral: All candidates who meet all the qualifications and other eligibility requirements may be referred for consideration. If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), achieve a well-qualified score of 85 or higher to receive priority consideration. To preview the application questionnaire: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13047364

Required Documents

A complete application includes 1. A résumé, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).Please ensure all required documents, including any required work samples, narratives, or other materials as stated in this announcement, are attached to your application package. All applicants are required to submit a résumé either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) Please limit your resume to two-pages. Applicants with resumes exceeding two-pages will be removed from consideration. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/date/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your résumé. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your résumé to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. For resumé writing guidance, please visit; How do I write a resume for a federal job? CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES -- Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment: -You must submit a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".) Your SF-50 must show that you have held the required grade level for at least 52 weeks. - If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) or Disability appointment, you must submit a copy of an SF-50 showing that. - Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, you must submit a copy of an additional SF-50 showing this grade. CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (CTAP) OR INTERAGENCY CAREER TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PLAN (ICTAP) DOCUMENTATION: If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee, click CTAP/ICTAP for eligibility and a detailed list of required documents you must submit in order to be eligible. EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of courses showing title, number of credits, grade, and date of completion. A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTS: Current Performance Appraisal

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. For more information regarding the job and applicant status, please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status. Are you unsure how to write your federal resume? We are here to help. The Treasury Recruitment Service regularly offers Writing Your Federal Resume training sessions, and other career-related information sessions, to assist you in your career search journey. To register for a session, click here to go to our Career Information Sessions webpage. Fiscal Service provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. Please contact us if you require this for any part of the application and hiring process. Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position. For additional information on how to apply, please visit the Partnership for Public Service's Go Government website. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits the Department of Treasury and its bureaus from requesting an applicant's criminal history record before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201 certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance to Compete Act. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint to the Department of Treasury by email at, FairChanceAct@treasury.gov. To learn more, please visit our page at: Treasury.gov/fairchanceact.

What to Expect Next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionn...

You must meet the following requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your résumé. For the GS-12, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: -Leading litigation support for cases by managing discovery, e-Discovery, and legal records in compliance with court, administrative forums, and agency requirements AND - Analyzing legal issues, drafted pleadings and other legal documents requiring minimal attorney revision and provided recommendations to attorneys AND - Advising attorneys on case strategy, and mentored junior paralegals to improve legal operations. For the GS-11, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: - Conducting legal research and analyzing statutes, regulations, case law, and evidence to support litigation strategy and legal recommendations AND -Managing discovery and e-Discovery activities, preparing legal memorandum and discovery responses, and ensuring compliance with court, administrative forums, and agency requirements AND -Coordinating with attorneys, investigators, auditors, and program officials to resolve legal issues and manage complex case activities. 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 You may qualify with a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, your total qualifying experience is calculated as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then, your education is calculated as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. The two percentages are added together. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education. For the GS-9, you must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: - Conducting legal research to support litigation and administrative proceedings, AND -Drafting legal correspondence and other legal materials while reviewing case files for accuracy and compliance AND -Managing case files, tracked deadlines supporting document productions, and assisting attorneys with trial and/or hearing preparation. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR You may qualify with a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, your total qualifying experience is calculated as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then, your education is calculated as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. The two percentages are added together. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education. For the GS-12, you must have been at the GS-11 level for 52 weeks. For the GS-11, you must have been at the GS-9 level for 52 weeks. For the GS-9, you must have been at the GS-7 level for 52 weeks. .