Paralegal Specialist

ICE OPLA is the largest legal department within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with more than 3,000 attorneys and 500 support staff working nationwide in 143 offices located within nine Regions throughout the United States. Pursuant to statute, OPLA serves as the exclusive representative of DHS in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review litigating cases involving criminal aliens, terrorists, human rights violators, and other priority aliens. OPLA also provides a full range of legal services to all ICE programs and offices.

District Court Litigation Division (DCLD) paralegals assist OPLA attorneys who serve as agency counsel before the DOJ Executive Office for Immigration Review, in federal litigation, and on a robust and diverse client services portfolio. DCLD attorneys serve as the exclusive representatives of the U.S. Government in immigration proceedings before the 73 immigration courts and three adjudication centers nationwide, as well as the Board of Immigration Appeals. DCLD attorneys and paralegals support the U.S. Attorney's Offices nationwide in handling federal litigation pending in the U.S. District Courts, including petitions for writs of habeas corpus, motions for injunctive relief, and class action lawsuits. At the full performance level, OPLA DCLD paralegal responsibilities include:

• Collecting, organizing, reviewing, and summarizing for OPLA attorneys the facts, law and special circumstances relating to administrative tort claims filed against ICE.
• Performing complex legal research using generally accessible sources and commercial databases.
• Appling law to facts to make recommendations to ICE attorneys and supervisors with respect to the adjudication of federal tort claims.
• Maintaining assigned reporting and electronic recordkeeping systems that tracks the progress of admin claims and litigation cases.
• Processing payments of vouchers billing to the appropriate specific programs in HSI, ERO or other funding sources using the Treasury system for claimants.
• Processing fees to be paid from Equal Access to Justice claims.
• Assisting ICE attorneys with civil discovery including collection, review and production of agency records, medical records, depositions and other litigation documents.
• Other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use of possession of drugs.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.
District Court Litigation Division (DCLD)

Minimum Qualifications for GS-07: Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service that included experience such as:

• Conducting research to assist with identifying factual and legal issues; OR
• Extracting data from manuals, directives, court reports. appellate records, or legal publications; OR
• Assisting with reviewing cases to determine the need for additional data from claimants, officials, or attorneys.

OR
Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify for the GS-09 level. To qualify based on education you must have:

• Master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR
• Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related

OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. 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.

OR
Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your 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.; OR (3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/).

Minimum Qualifications for GS-09: Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service that included experience such as:

• Conducting research to identify and analyze factual and legal issues and relevant evidence to prepare for cases; OR
• Extracting and analyzing data from manuals, directives, court reports. appellate records, or legal publications; OR
• Preparing drafts of briefs, other litigation papers, or reports outlining case precedents.

OR
Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify for the GS-09 level. To qualify based on education you must have:

• Master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR
• Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related

OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. 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.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-11: Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that included experience such as:

• Assisting in collection, review, and summarization of facts, law, and special circumstances relating to administrative tort claims filed against agencies for attorneys; OR
• Receiving, analyzing, and recommending changes to practices in processing claims based upon research into emerging precedents or legal theories to Senior Paralegal Specialists; OR
• Preparing responses to discovery requests, dispositive motions, settlements, and charges for disciplinary and adverse actions to assist attorneys in case work.

OR
Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify for the GS-11 level. To qualify based on education you must have:

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR
• Three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related.

OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. 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.

Minimum Qualifications for GS-12: Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-11 level in the Federal service that included experience such as:

• Collecting, organizing, reviewing, and summarizing facts, law and special circumstances relating to administrative tort claims filed against agency for attorneys; OR
• Receiving, analyzing, and recommending changes to practices in processing claims based upon research of precedents or legal theories; OR
• Preparing responses to requests regarding discovery, dispositive motions, settlements, and charges for disciplinary and adverse actions to assist attorneys in case work.; OR
• Preparing documents for signature by attorneys after incorporating legal analyses and citations of precedent case law.