Paralegal Specialist

The Paralegal Specialist will provide legal and administrative support to the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, and Associate General Counsel in connection with the Court's legal advisory, ethics, policy, and administrative functions. This position requires a high level of professionalism, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a confidential legal environment.

Duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Paralegal Specialist performs a full range of legal and administrative support duties in support of the Office of General Counsel (OGC), including but not limited to:

• Conducting legal and factual research related to statutes, regulations, case law, ethics rules and standards, Court policies, and administrative matters.

• Assisting attorneys with drafting, reviewing, and editing legal memoranda, correspondence, policies, standard operating procedures, guidance documents, and internal advisory materials.

• Preparing summaries, chronologies, analyses, and background materials for legal, ethics, and advisory matters.

• Tracking assignments, deadlines, and action items for matters handled by OGC and ensuring timely follow-up.

• Maintaining official and working files, including sensitive and confidential records, in accordance with Court records management requirements.

• Managing document intake, version control, and distribution of OGC materials.

• Assisting with administration of the Court's ethics program, including intake and tracking of ethics-related inquiries and supporting documentation.

• Supporting the development, maintenance, and coordination of ethics training and reference materials.

• Coordinating meetings, calendars, and logistical arrangements for OGC leadership.

• Drafting routine correspondence and responding to internal requests for information, as appropriate.

• Serving as a liaison with Court offices, chambers, and external contacts on administrative or procedural matters.

• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Salary

• $70,623 - $111,087/year

Conditions of Employment

• This is an "at-will" position.
• Excepted Service Position: This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive civil service.
• This appointment is made without regard to Title 5 governing appointments to competitive service.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: The selectee must have:

• A paralegal certificate or degree from an accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible paralegal or legal support experience.

Note: Experience in veterans benefits law and court operations or administration is beneficial but not required.

Skills:

• Proficiency in legal research, including use of online legal research databases and methods.

• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in writing and orally.

• Skill in organizing, tracking, and managing multiple assignments and deadlines.

• Flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities and provide support for multiple attorneys.

• Ability to perform duties and assignments independently.

• Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and electronic records systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a federal court, judicial branch, or government legal office.

• Familiarity with judicial ethics, ethics advisory functions, or administrative law.

• Experience supporting senior-level attorneys or executives.

Promotion Potential

This position may be filled at the CS-9 or CS-11 depending on the selectee's qualifications. If filled below the CS-11 level, the position may have promotion potential to CS-11 without further competition, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of work, and compliance with applicable Court policies.

Education The selectee must have: A paralegal certificate or degree from an accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible paralegal or legal support experience. Other Information Veterans Information: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to paralegal appointments in the excepted service; however, the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims considers veterans' preference eligibility a positive factor for attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letters or resumes and attach supporting documents (e.g., DD Form 214, Certificate of Release, or Discharge from Active Duty) to their submissions. Required Documents

You may apply by submitting the following documents:

• A resume, no more than two (2) pages;
• A cover letter explaining your interest;
• Educational qualification; and
• A completed OF 306 (Declaration for Federal Employment)

How to Apply

Note: Application packets should be emailed in one single PDF attachment.

Please submit your application packet to:

Human Resources
employment@uscourts.cavc.gov

Please include the vacancy announcement number in the subject line. To be considered, you must submit a complete application package by 11:59 EST on the day the announcement closes.


The U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, age, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin, disability, or political affiliation