Paralegal Specialist (Recent Graduate)

The Civil Division litigates cases worth up to billions of dollars and those involving legal issues that include national security, separation of powers, and immigration. The Division defends against challenges to Federal statutes, agency regulations, Executive Branch initiatives, and tort actions brought against Federal employees and agencies. The Division also handles affirmative enforcement matters, including civil fraud, government ethics, Federal preemption, and consumer protection.

Duties

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Division represents the United States, its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet Officers, and other federal employees in any civil or criminal matter within its scope of responsibility. The Civil Division's responsibilities include ensuring the Federal Government speaks with one voice in its view of the law; preserving the intent of Congress; advancing the credibility of the government before the courts; and protecting the U.S. Treasury.

There are multiple vacancies located within Civil Division. Please find the link below to learn more about the organizations within Civil Division, click the hyperlink: https://www.justice.gov/civil

The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who recently graduated within the last 2 years from qualifying educational institutions or programs. After program completion, recent graduates may be non-competitively converted to a permanent position (or in some limited circumstances, a term appointment lasting 1-4 years). However, conversions are not mandatory or guaranteed.

As a Recent Grad Paralegal Specialist GS- 0950-7/9, your typical work assignments may include the following:

GS-0950-07 Duties:
-Performs basic and legal research into assigned cases. Reviews and analyzes prior case material to become familiar with questions under issue. Works with attorneys to collect and format critical record materials.

-Verifies citations and legal references on prepared legal documents and ensures that formats meet applicable federal, state, and local court rules.

-Conducts basic and legal research for assigned cases. Reviews and analyzes prior case materials to become familiar with questions under consideration. Uses electronic databases and other electronic means to perform various litigation support tasks, including organizing, indexing, and summarizing documents, files, and other material. Reviews electronically recorded information to ensure accuracy upon closing a case file.

-Assists attorneys in compiling legislative history materials. Prepares appendices or record excerpts for all court filings, organizing and numbering the documents, preparing tables of contents and authorities, and arranging for copying of the filings and service on opposing counsel.

-Assists in generating needed reports and information requests about legal cases. Assists in sorting, recording, indexing, filing, and distributing materials to the appropriate person or organization.

GS-0950-09 duties:
-Assists attorneys in drafting pleadings, motions, briefs, subpoenas, and other papers in cases handled by the Office/Branch.

-Participates in pre-trial witness conferences in order to note additional matters to investigate prior to trial. Analyzes assigned documents for supportive evidence, organizing and writing synopses for use of Office/Branch attorneys.

-Interfaces with the federal courts and client agencies to gather important information in support of the assigned attorney's defense of emergency and other litigation.

-Handles correspondence between client agencies, U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and opposing counsel, performing primary and legal research when required.

Salary

• $57,736 - $91,815/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You must successfully pass a security/background investigation and drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a two-year trial/probationary period.
• Additional selections may be made from this announcement, at any time, if openings occur in other offices within the advertised offices or other offices within the Civil Division.
• You must sign a pathways agreement.
• 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.
• Under Pathways Recent Graduate regulations, you are eligible only if you have graduated from an academic program of study or earned your degree within the last two years.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Paralegal Specialist (Recent Graduate), at GS-0950-7/9, you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below AND [Insert experience, if applicable]

Basic Requirement: To be eligible, applicants must apply within two years of degree or certificate completion (except for veterans precluded from doing so due to their military service obligation, who have up to six years after degree completion to apply). For additional information on the Recent Graduates Pathways Program, please click here.

NOTE: You must submit transcripts or official documentation, to verify Recent Graduate Program eligibility. Transcripts MUST reflect the degree/ certificate program and the degree conferred date (official transcripts are required upon selection). If you are graduating in May, please inlcude that information on your resume or in your cover letter if you chose to do one. Official transcripts will be required prior to appointment for all selectees.

In addition to the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program, you must also meet the following qualifications requirements in order to qualify for the Paralegal Specialist.

To qualify for the GS-07 position, you must meet one of following minimum qualification requirements:

• Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position, conducting research, writing, organizing, and drafting documents related to legal services.
• One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. 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/).
• 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) by 18. Add the two percentages.

To qualify for the GS-9 position, you must meet one of the following minimum qualification requirements:

• Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position: assisting senior staff attorneys in preparing pleadings or briefs, performing tasks analyzing factual data, preparing exhibits, preparing statements of case, and performing advanced research into factual aspects of assigned cases.
• Have a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successfully completed at least 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR received an LL.B or J.D.
• Have a combination of graduate education and experience, as described above that meets 100% of the requirements. 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) by 36. Add the two percentages.

You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the 01/29/2026 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.

Education If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be creditable toward your qualifications. Therefore, you should provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. USA Hire Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request an RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. To determine if you need an RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire. EEO Statement/Policy: 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. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: 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. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or 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. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to Victoria Jones at Victoria.jones@usdoj.gov. Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act. Required Documents

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

You must submit a copy of your current transcripts with major being pursued for proof of education and enrollment. If you are not currently enrolled but have been accepted for future enrollment you must submit a copy of your acceptance letter with your application.

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.

If you leave out important information, we may not be able to credit your experience, and you may be rated ineligible.

The following documents are ACCEPTED for this vacancy:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Proof of Enrollment
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

These are documents that may be required for some applicants, based on what eligibility you are applying for or if you are using education to qualify. The list below provides additional information describing common documents that are accepted and provides a link to learn more about the specific details of that type of documentation.

• Veterans Preference:When claiming a veteran-related preference eligibility, you must submit specific documents based on the type of preference claimed. You may need to submit any of the following forms: SF-15 (Application of 10-point Veterans Preference), DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), and a VA Disability Letter. Please see USAJOBS Veterans Preference for more details.
• Transcripts & Education:When using education to qualify, please submit an official or unofficial transcript from your institution that shows full credit hours and course information. Avoid submitting protected PDF files as these may contain security features that prevent DOJ from viewing the document.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/29/2026 to receive consideration.

The application process is as follows:

• 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 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
• If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
• Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
• Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
• Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
• Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
• For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_Assessments.

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: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Lauren Abner at lauren.abner@usdoj.gov for assistance.