If selected, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing a range of legal and administrative support services to attorneys in complex criminal matters. At the full performance level, duties will include (but are not limited to):
- Intaking and organizing sometimes voluminous discovery materials in a variety of formats, including paper and electronic records.
- Conducting factual and legal research in support of investigations and cases.
- Analyzing evidentiary materials, including documentary records, witness statements, and audio, video, and image files.
- Drafting, proofreading, and editing legal filings and related documents.
- Supporting courtroom presentations, such as by identifying potential exhibits and witnesses, compiling jury instructions, and using trial presentation software and courtroom equipment to display exhibits at court.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
- 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.
GS-7: To be eligible at the GS-7 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-5 level in the Federal service or equivalent paid/nonpaid experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing routine legal assistance tasks in a legal environment that require knowledge of litigative procedures. Specialized experience includes: (1) preparing routine legal documents such as motions, notices, subpoenas, proposed orders, and standard correspondence; (2) supporting the discovery process by indexing and organizing discovery materials; transmitting discovery productions; maintaining discovery logs; and tracking productions to opposing counsel; (3) assisting with hearing and trial preparation by compiling, organizing, and indexing evidentiary exhibits; preparing witness and exhibit lists; and assembling trial notebooks; and (4) assisting with trial preparation and courtroom presentations by preparing trial exhibits such as charts, graphs, and timelines and presenting trial exhibits in court using trial presentation software.
- Education: Successful completion of one (1) full year of progressively higher-level graduate education (18 semester hours or the number of units your school uses to describe one graduate year of academic study) in related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law or Legal Studies, Political Science, Government, History, English) leading to a master's degree OR bachelor's degree with superior academic achievement. Superior academic achievement is as follows: standing in the upper third of your graduating class or major subdivision OR membership in one of the national scholastic honor Societies; OR Grade Point Average. Applicants must have a grade point average of: (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
- 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, a combination of specialized experience and graduate-level education as described above, which when combined equal 100% of the requirements.
GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 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-7 level in the Federal service or equivalent paid/nonpaid experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience is includes: (1) drafting routine legal documents and correspondence such as routine motions, pretrial filings, summonses, or subpoenas; (2) managing discovery materials in multiple formats and utilizing appropriate software applications to organize, store, review, and manage discovery and evidence; (3) assisting attorneys with preliminary review of incoming discovery or evidentiary materials and identifying information relevant to assigned criminal or civil cases; (4) conducting factual and non-complex legal research in legal and non-legal databases in support of investigations and cases; (5) assisting with hearing or trial preparation by preparing trial subpoenas, assembling evidentiary exhibits, and preparing demonstrative exhibits; and (6) supporting attorneys during court proceedings or other live case presentations by operating trial presentation software and equipment to display exhibits or demonstratives, maintaining exhibit accounting systems, and coordinating witness logistics.
- Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law or Legal Studies, Political Science, Government, History, English): a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B. or J.D., if related); 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.
GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 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-9 level. Specialized experience includes: (1) managing discovery materials in multiple formats, including receiving, indexing, and organizing incoming discovery; and preparing, transmitting, and tracking outgoing discovery productions (2) performing case development activities including analyzing discovery and evidentiary materials; (3) assisting attorneys with trial preparation and presentation, including witness coordination, preparation of exhibits, and creation of demonstratives including charts and graphs, and providing courtroom presentation support; (4) conducting factual and legal research and preparing written summaries of factual and legal research; (5) using automated litigation support technology programs to process electronic discovery materials for retrieval and index digital evidence; and (6) ensures discovery and case development activities are complete, accurate, and timely at each stage of investigation or litigation.
Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g. Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Law, IT): Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field; OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related. Education 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: A combination of specialized experience as described in A and education as described in B which when combined equal 100% of the requirements. (Only graduate level education in excess of the first two years can be used in this calculation.)
Note: In order to be considered "qualified" for this position, your specialized experience must be described in your resume. Please be sure that your resume clearly states any and all of the specialized experience that you may have. If your specialized experience is not clearly stated in your resume, you may not be considered for this position.
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.
Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.
A relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications.
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.
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' Preference - If you are entitled to Veterans' Preference, you must indicate the type of preference you are claiming by checking the appropriate box in the assessment questionnaire to indicate your preference and submit the required veterans' preference documentation as specified in the, "Required Documents" section of this vacancy 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 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/Policy: 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. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
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.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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.
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 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 "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);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.
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.
