Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services)

This position is located in the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, Executive Office for Immigration Review, U. S. Department of Justice. The Legal Administrative Specialist provides a range of legal support functions to include review and processing of documents, maintenance of case files, and coordination of proceedings for master calendar hearings. This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

Duties

As a Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) GS- 0901-9/11, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision:

• Organizing case files for Master Calendar Hearings;
• Generating, assembling and providing required case files to the Immigration Judge;
• Providing assistance with processing inquiries, legal notices and calendaring processes and procedures;
• Processing legal correspondence and legal documents;
• Processing motions, petitions, and other legal documentation;
• Preparing reports and maintain/edit case related data and information using an automated information system.

Salary

• $52,727 - $99,404/year

Conditions of Employment

• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening
• You may be required to complete a probationary or trial period. See “Additional Information” for specific details.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) 0901 -09 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (12 months) of specialized work experience, at the GS-7 or equivalent level performing 3 of the 4 following duties:

• Generating, pulling, organizing, assembling, and providing required information in a case management environment;
• Experience with managing case management systems
• Processing legal correspondence and legal documents
• Processing inquiries, notices, and scheduling matters.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.)

OR

Education: You must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or LL.B. or J.D., that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. (You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Must have a combination of experience and education which totals 100% of the necessary experience and education needed to qualify for this position. (Only graduate education beyond one year, i.e., 18 semester hours, may be combined with experience under this provision.)

NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.

In order to qualify for the Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) 0901 -11 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (12 months) of specialized work experience, at the GS-9 or equivalent level performing 3 of the 4 following duties:

• Generating, pulling, organizing, assembling, and providing required information in a case management environment;
• Analyzing and evaluating administrative records for final adjudication;
• Processing inquiries, notices, and scheduling matters in a high-volume environment
• Processing documents related to legal proceedings.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience.)

OR

Education: Must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.(You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.)

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Must have a combination of experience and education which totals 100% of the necessary experience and education needed to qualify for this position. (Only graduate education beyond one year, i.e., 18 semester hours, may be combined with experience under this provision.)

NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts for verification.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience if you select this option)

You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, (07/03/2026).

Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.
After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement (07/03/2026) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

Education ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation by clicking here. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. (Note: If you are selected for this position based on education, an official transcript will be required, prior to your first day.) You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, click here. Translated transcripts are required. You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award. If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required: Your transcript must come from a nationally accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education. Your transcript must also be in English or have an English translation included. Other Information Alternative work schedule options may be available. Tour of duty may include Saturdays. 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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable): As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: 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. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or 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. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to EOIR.HR_Application_Review@usdoj.gov. Required Documents

Please carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

Resume - All Applicants: You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following pieces of information for each job entry listed in your employment history:

• Official position title,
• Employer name and contact information,
• Start and end dates (including month and year),
• Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and
• A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

If you are a current or former Federal employee:

1. You must submit your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or equivalent agency form. Do not submit an award SF-50. Your SF-50 should list the full position title, series, grade and step,organization, duty location, service computation date, effective date, and your service type and tenure status.

Due Weight for Performance:

1. Submit a copy of your most recent performance evaluation or appraisal, signed, showing your final rating. If a performance appraisal is not available submit a statement explaining why one is not available. Note: See USAJOBS Current & Former Employees for more information.
2. A list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official.

If you are a Veteran or a qualifying parent or spouse:

1. When claiming a Veteran's Preference, you must submit your last DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type.
2. If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF-15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.
3. If you are the qualifying parent or spouse of a disabled, deceased, or deployed Veteran, and are seeking a derived preference eligibility, you must submit appropriate supporting documentation such as the Veterans DD-214, SF-15, VA Letter, and/or Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders. See Veteran Family Preference for more information.
4. For more information see FedsHireVets.

If you are applying for consideration under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority:

1. Spouse of a member of the armed forces on active duty: documentation showing 1) your spouse's active-duty status and 2) your marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage certificate or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
2. Spouse of service members who incurred a 100% disability because of the service member's active-duty service: documentation showing 1) the member of the armed forces retired, or was released or discharged from active duty, with a disability rating of 100 percent; and 2) documentation of marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
3. Spouse of service members killed while on active duty: documentation showing a) the member was released or discharged from active duty due to his or her death while on active duty; b) the member of the armed forces was killed while serving on active duty; c) proof of the widow or widower's marriage to the member of the armed forces (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage); and d) a statement certifying that the individual seeking to use the authority is the un-remarried widow or widower of the service member.

If you are a person with a disability, claiming eligibility under Schedule A:

1. You must submit "proof of a disability" documentation ("Proof of a disability" is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability or psychiatric disability). You must get this letter from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any Federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits.
2. For more information see OPM's Schedule A site.

If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP:

1. You must submit your separation notice or agency RIF letter from your agency OR if you have not yet been separated, you can provide the letter of intent to separate you from the agency because of reduction-in-force.
2. Submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal and SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location OR Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.

If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required: See Education Field.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on (07/03/2026) to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

• To begin the application process, 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 11:59PM (ET) on (07/03/2026).
• 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 via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
• 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)
• 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.

Need Help?
If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc.