Paralegal

Your Legal Expertise, Powering a Region.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is seeking a highly organized and versatile Paralegal to contribute to our Office of General Counsel. This position requires an individual capable of managing a blend of substantive legal work and critical administrative responsibilities, thus contributing to the team's success and our mission to power the Pacific Northwest. If you excel in a fast-paced environment and can seamlessly transition between complex legal tasks and essential office management, we encourage you to apply.

In this multifaceted role, you will:

• Analyze complex case information to develop strategic recommendations and justifications for our trial attorneys.
• Provide comprehensive executive support to four Assistant General Counsels by managing their demanding calendars, scheduling appointments, and coordinating high-level meetings.
• Independently manage the discovery process for litigation, including interpreting data requests, collecting information, and drafting responses for legal review.
• Draft a wide range of legal documents, including motions, briefs, exhibits, and other critical court filings for administrative and federal court proceedings.
• Act as the primary litigation assistant in major hearings, including before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, by preparing evidence and organizing all case materials.
• Serve as a key liaison for the office, managing incoming calls and mail, welcoming visitors, and coordinating with other agencies and external counsel.
• Conduct sophisticated legal research into federal statutes, legislative history, and case law on novel and precedent-setting issues in energy policy.
• Ensure the operational readiness of the entire legal team by acting as the Master Timekeeper, managing travel and training logistics, and maintaining office supplies.
• Interview internal personnel and potential witnesses, preparing them to provide clear and effective testimony in court and other legal proceedings.

In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answer to these questions is not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration

When you apply you will be asked a series of questions to determine your eligibility for employment and your qualification for this position specifically. You must answer all of these questions completely and truthfully.

Key Requirements:

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• You will be required to report in person to the official duty location.

• Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

GS-09:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Assisting in legal case preparation by gathering and summarizing information from case files, conducting research of routine legal issues using established precedents, and drafting initial legal documents for attorney review.

GS-11:

A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience 1) providing legal assistance and support (e.g. evaluating factual information for litigation worthiness, and identifying and gathering additional evidence for legal matters of above-average difficulty); 2) conducting legal research using established precedents, laws, and regulations to analyze and interpret findings for attorneys; and 3) drafting various legal documents such as summaries of analyses, decisions, and pre-trial documents, and preparing charts or exhibits to support case litigation.

"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.