Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support)

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced via Merit Staffing procedures under 26-NDTX-13031126-MS.

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing a wide range of legal support services to one or more Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) or Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) responsible for conducting litigation in the Criminal Division. The subject matter will include a broad range of general criminal litigation, including violent crime and immigration matters. Legal support services include assistance with case management and case presentations as well as automated case litigation and management programs.

Typical work assignments will include:

• Assist with the collection of discovery.
• Prepare, organize, index, develop, and manage exhibits, evidence and data, including electronically stored information.
• Prepare a variety of documents including information requests, subpoenas, pleadings, correspondence, memos, and other documentation related to the acquisition of evidence for criminal investigations.
• Manage and operate a variety of computer hardware such as printers, plotters, audio-visual devices, and other equipment to conceptualize exhibits and complete special presentation projects.
• Analyze and summarize factual aspects of cases, including reading and analyzing reports of federal agencies on particular cases.
• Organize, catalog, review and produce discovery, including maintaining indexes and production logs.
• Assist in organizing voluminous case information for efficient retrieval through automated means such as scanning, indexing and controlling of documents into a data base.
• Assist with preparation for hearings, conferences and trials.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Salary

• $54,857 - $87,235/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• 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 one-year probationary period. See “Additional Information” section for specific details.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support), at GS-0901-7/9, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

GS-07: To be eligible at the GS-07 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:

Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as: operating litigation support hardware and software (i.e., Everlaw, Eclipse, Relativity, Trial Director, Camtasia Studio 8, advanced Microsoft Office Suite, etc.); performing routine litigation support assignments such as organizing case information; catalog, organize, review and produce discovery; assisting attorneys with preparation for hearings, conferences and trials - to include subpoenas, trial exhibits, information requests, pleadings, and correspondence; closing hard copy and electronic case files upon disposition of cases; and preparing appellate trial documents and exhibits.

Education: One full year of graduate level study, or possess a Master's or higher degree, e.g., Ph.D., etc., in a field that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of the position (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law)
OR possess a Bachelor's Degree or expect to complete the requirements for a Bachelor's degree within the next 9 months AND possess at least one of the following criteria: (1)class standing in the upper third of the graduating class; (2)an overall GPA of 3.0 OR at least a 3.0 based on courses completed during the final two years of my curriculum; a GPA of at least 3.5 based on the average of required courses completed in my major field OR based on the average of required courses completed during the final two years of my curriculum; OR (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. (Transcripts required)

Combining Education and Experience: Combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required graduate education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Transcripts required)

GS-09: To be eligible at the GS-09 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions:

Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in Federal service. Specialized experienceis defined as: assisting attorneys by performing advanced and complex litigation support systems; assist with preparation for hearings, conferences, trials and other projects by recommending and/or providing a variety of litigation support services; catalog, organize, review and produce discovery; designing and implementing database management programs to assist with the storage, tabulation, and presentation of case facts, evidence, and other information; monitoring input of data into database management programs; assisting in the organization and assembly of evidence, exhibits, discovery and other documents; and assisting user's in the operation of litigation support hardware, software and databases (i.e., Everlaw, Eclipse, Relativity, Trial Director, Camtasia Studio 8, advanced Microsoft Office Suite, etc.)???????

Education: Possess a Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law); or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or an LL.B. or J.D, if related. (Transcripts required)

Combining Education and Experience: Combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required graduate education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (Transcripts required)

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the 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 proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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/.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 08/28/2026 of this announcement.

Your resume must support your responses to the online 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 your application, you will receive notification indicated whether or not the USA Hire assessment is required. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 08/28/2026 to complete the assessment which is part of your application.

Education 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 http://www.ed.gov FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. 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. 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: 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. 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. Required Documents

It is your responsibility to carefully review the list of required documents below and submit the necessary documentation based on your eligibility.

Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).

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.

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.


Veterans Preference Documentation: If you are claiming veterans' preference you must submit:
(1) a copy of your DD-214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," (Member 4 copy), showing the dates of active duty, type of discharge, and character of service, OR
(2) a certification letter from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. This letter must contain (a) military service dates including the expected discharge or release date and (b) character of service.

If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference as a Disabled Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient, or Mother or Spouse of a Disabled or Deceased Veteran, in addition to the documents specified above, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15.

CTAP/ICTAP eligibility documentation - If you are a displaced Federal employee claiming eligibility under CTAP or ICTAP, you must submit:

1. A copy of the agency notice (i.e., letter of intent to separate, separation notice, or agency RIF letter),
2. Your most recent performance appraisal, and
3. Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
4. See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.

College Transcripts - If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required, you must submit: An unofficial transcript containing a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award. Note: If you are selected for this position, official transcripts will be required prior to your first day.

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 08/28/2026 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 08/28/2026.
• 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.

Essay Questions: The following four narrative questions provide an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question (see the application questionnaire). You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot.

1. 1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? Provide a concrete example from professional, academic, or personal experience.
2. 1. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? Provide specific examples where you improved processes, reduced costs, or improved outcomes.
3. 1. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? Identify one or two relevant Executive Orders or policy initiatives that are significant to you, and explain how you would help implement them if hired.
4. 1. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Provide one or two specific examples, and explain how those qualities would enable you to serve effectively in this position.

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.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you must submit documentation to support your request, including the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form found at:https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire