Supervisory Paralegal Specialist (Civil)

If selected for this position, you will join the United States Attorney's Office (USAO), District of New Hampshire in the Civil Division. The Civil Division Division represents the United States, its agencies, and federal employees in a broad range of civil litigation and affirmative enforcement matters. The Division primarily defends the government in federal court actions involving immigration, tort claims, employment discrimination, constitutional and civil rights claims, real property disputes, medical malpractice, commercial litigation, challenges to agency actions, and other civil lawsuits. Civil Division attorneys manage all phases of litigation, including case assessment, discovery, motion practice, alternative dispute resolution, hearings, trials, and appeals. In addition to defensive litigation, the Division handles affirmative enforcement matters such as actions under the False Claims Act, civil rights enforcement cases, healthcare fraud, procurement fraud, financial fraud, pharmaceutical diversion and collection, foreclosure, and bankruptcy proceedings. The incumbent selected will exercise first-level supervision over the Civil Division legal support staff. Typical work assignments will include:

• Providing advice, counsel, and instruction to paralegal and legal assistants on technical and administrative matters;
• Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting and adjusting short-term priorities, and preparing schedules for completion of work within established deadlines;
• Assigns, directs, reviews, and coordinates work of subordinates;
• Develops Performance Work Plans, evaluates and assigns performance ratings based on independent knowledge and input from AUSAs, and ensures that performance ratings are timely and accurately completed;
• Planning, coordinating, and personally conducting or overseeing the training of assigned personnel; identifying developmental and training needs of legal support staff; identifying ways to improve production and increase the quality of the work of the support staff;
• Addresses employee conduct and performance issues by taking or recommending disciplinary and/or performance-based actions as appropriate;
• Deals effectively with employees on their suggestions; hears and resolves complaints and non-formal grievances from employees;
• Approving leave, making recommendation for awards, promotions, reassignments and assisting in the selection of additional staff;
• Instructing and providing procedural and technical guidance to other legal support staff employees in preparation of all court filings;
• Assisting AUSAs in pretrial and trial preparation by preparing, reviewing and organizing discovery, and organizing exhibits to be introduced at trial; and
• Providing technical support to AUSAs and government agents for gathering evidence in support of ongoing criminal investigations and prosecutions.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• If selected, you will be subject to the satisfactory completion of a one year supervisory or managerial probationary period unless this requirement has been met previously.
• Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
• You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

GS-12: In order to qualify for the GS-12 level, applicants must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level, gained in the federal, public, and/or private sector.

Specialized experience is defined as experience planning, reviewing and/or overseeing work assignments of legal support staff; presenting oral and/or written facts and legal arguments to provide guidance and assistance to management and/or support; utilizing legal software applications/databases to conduct legal research, prepare case reports and/or produce litigation reports and documents; and providing trial support to attorneys, which may include by drafting complaints, motions, subpoenas, orders, or other hearing and/or trial documents.

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/.

Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) -VEOA allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under VEOA, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement.

Special Employment Consideration - Persons with disabilities, veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, certain other veterans, spouses of certain members of the armed forces, and returning Peace Corps volunteers are examples of individuals who are potentially eligible for non-competitive appointments. For further information, click on the links provided below . You must specify in your online questionnaire under what authority you wish to be considered and submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.
Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities Links:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Types-of-Appointments