Paralegal Specialist

The Antitrust Division is seeking to fill Paralegal Specialist positions in the Civil Program Offices in Washington, DC. Within the Division, Paralegal Specialists perform legal duties in support of attorneys engaged in antitrust cases and matters.

NOTE: This is a TERM appointment (not-to-exceed 4 years). Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration. Term employees are eligible to earn leave and generally have the same benefits as permanent employees including health and life insurance, within-grade increases and Federal Employees Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan coverage.

As a Paralegal Specialist, you will:

• Review, code, categorize, and analyze electronic and hard copy documents in accordance with case priorities, using case management programs and document review platforms.
• Perform legal or factual research and draft memoranda using section or attorney files, library reference files, corporate records, private and governmental studies, case management programs and document review platforms, and other pertinent sources, to supply needed factual information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs, and similar documents.
• Assist attorneys and law enforcement partners in conducting interviews with investigative sources and prospective witnesses.
• Communicate and coordinate with law enforcement agents to collect and track investigative files, including, but not limited to, search warrant and subpoenaed documents.

Please note: Additional selections may be made beyond the total number of vacancies specified using this vacancy announcement.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this position.
• You must undergo a pre-employment security investigation.
• You will be required to take and successfully clear a drug test.
• You must submit a complete application package by the closing date of this announcement.
• SELECTIVE SERVICE: All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see SSS.gov). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
• You must meet the required qualifications for this position by the closing date of the announcement.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
• This position offers career mobility opportunities to qualified Legal Division/Office of Solicitor General employees, who are encouraged to apply.
• This is a full-time, non-supervisory, term appointment in the competitive service for up to 4 years, subject to a one-year trial period in accordance with 5 CFR 316.304. Trial periods are an extension of the hiring process. If selected for this position, the agency will evaluate your fitness and whether continuation of employment advances the public interest before extending your appointment beyond the one-year trial period.
• The Antitrust Division participates in the E-Verify program.
• Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must meet the Specialized Experience Requirements. Specialized experience is experience that has provided you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position as described above, and that is typically in or related to this position being filled.

To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level.

Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
GS-07 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level performing 3 out of 4 of the following:

• Developing, authorizing, or examining claims or applications that required resolving conflicting data and interpreting a body of laws, rules, regulations and policies.
• Preparing or reviewing contracts or other legal instruments for legal sufficiency and conformance with applicable laws.
• Selecting and analyzing information to determine the intent of statutes, treaties, and executive orders or legal decisions, opinions, and rulings.
• Investigating and analyzing evidence of alleged or suspected violations of laws or regulations.

OR

EDUCATION SUBSTITUTION: One (1) full year of graduate level education (Transcripts required)

OR

COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Must possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of this position. (Transcripts required)

OR

SUPERIOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT PROVISIONS:

• A grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher for all completed undergraduate course work or for all courses completed in the last two full years of undergraduate work;
• A GPA of 3.5 or higher for all courses in the major field of study, or those courses in a major completed in the last two full years of undergraduate work;
• Rank in the upper one-third of a college, university, or major subdivision; or
• Membership in a national honor society or successful completion of one full year of graduate level study. (Transcripts required)

To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level.

Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
GS-09 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level performing 3 out of 5 of the following:

• Preparing and organizing charts, graphs, and other materials to be used as exhibits in court.
• Preparing routine correspondence.
• Taking accurate notes during attorney proffers and witness interviews and preparing memoranda from those notes.
• Performing legal or factual research to supply needed factual information for inclusion in memoranda, briefs, and similar documents.
• Reviewing and coding electronic and hard copy documents using case management programs, (i.e., Relativity).

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, your resume must reflect at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level.

Specialized experience must demonstrate the following:
GS-11 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level performing 3 out of 5 of the following:

• Auditing investigative files, including internal records, subpoenaed records, and records obtained via search warrant, for production in discovery.
• Working with attorneys and law enforcement partners in the preparation of witnesses for court appearances or grand jury testimony.
• Coordinating with attorneys in creating document review protocols.
• Leading technical support staff with the preparation and organization of electronic document review platforms, (e.g. Relativity).
• Providing guidance and advice to junior paralegals and/or distributing assignments to junior paralegals on behalf of attorneys.

Substitution of education requirements allowed are outlined below.

GS-09: 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Master's degree
or Master's or equivalent graduate degree or L.L.B. or J.D., if related. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided.

GS-11: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or L.L.M., if related. NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided.

OR

Combination of graduate education and professional experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level.
NOTE: Transcript(s) must be provided.

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited based on time spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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.