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Paralegal Specialist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Washington, D.C
Closing date
Apr 10, 2021
Duties

Summary

Tour of Duty: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Position Description Title/PD#: Paralegal Specialist/ PD#33070A, 33071A, 33072A
Compressed/Flexible Schedules: Eligible
Telework: Eligible
Virtual Position: No

This recruitment is for one position with the Office of General Counsel, Real Property Law Group located at 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Paralegal Specialist, PD#33070A, 33071A, 33072A

Provides direct administrative and legal services to clients, colleagues and supervisors on case and/or program assignments. Gathers all relevant facts and information needed for case development and processing. Conducts legal and factual research for the preparation of legal opinions on matters of interest to the agency. Applies findings of legal research to issues presented for case processing. Interviews witnesses/claimants and other stakeholders to obtain necessary information. Manages and prioritizes caseload. Completes reviews and renders decisions or forwards same to decision-maker. Determines the approach to be taken and methodology to be used on assignments. Keeps supervisors and attorneys informed of actions involving potentially controversial issues or issues with far-reaching implications. Compiles, organizes, and indexes various evidentiary exhibits to assist in decision writing and litigation preparation. Prepares narrative summaries of research, interviews, and cases for attorneys. Creates visual aids for motions and hearings. Conducts data analysis to calculate damages, settlement amounts, or asset recovery. Drafts pleadings, discovery and other litigation correspondence. Develops facts in complex legal claims and applies the relevant law. Analyzes state and federal laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures in order to reach correct legal conclusions on assigned legal reviews, cases, and/or investigation reports. Prepares discovery, motions, memoranda, briefs, legal opinions, and/or other written documents and communications needed in the delivery of accurate, timely and effective legal services. Drafts discovery, dispositive motions and other pleadings. Coordinates discovery responses and drafts responses to same. Drafts legal decisions and case communications. Prepares presentation and briefing materials for attorneys and supervisors. Recommends improvements in administrative procedures. Prioritizes and manages assigned cases and program duties. Maintains complete and accurate time and status entries in case management systems. Manages systems for sharing information and organizing program work; Scans and embeds case information into case management system. Provides support and back up for other paraprofessional colleagues to ensure smooth operations within OGC. Coordinates hearing preparation arrangements (court reporter, V-Tel, parking, location etc). Sends interrogatory and production requests to client. Execute litigation hold process to ensure record retention and accessibility.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
11

Requirements

Conditions of Employment


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work is predominantly sedentary, requiring some walking, standing, bending, lifting and carrying light to moderate weight and size items such as books, files and paper.

Qualifications

You must be a US citizen to apply for this job.
Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/12/2021.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a (GS-11) position you must have served 52 weeks at the (GS-09). The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

Specialized Experience:

(GS-07):
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Experience conducting legal research.
  • Prioritizes and manages assigned cases and program duties to meet deadlines.
  • Reviewed subject matter and details of cases and assignments to develop basic knowledge of applicable law, policies and practices.
  • Experience in or assisting others in preparing letters, memoranda, briefs, draft legal opinions, and other legal technical documents.
or
1 full year of graduate level education. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
or
Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)

(GS-09):
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Experience conducting research on routine cases.
  • Utilizes knowledge of resource tools to investigate, analyze, and resolve issues in simple casework.
  • Provides effective direct service on assigned matters to include fact finding, problem analysis, problem solving, writing, and interpreting regulations and/or policies.
    or
master's or equivalent graduate degree
or
2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
or
LL.B. or J.D., if related

(GS-11):
Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
  • Experience employing various principles, concepts, and methods when conducting in-depth legal research.
  • Experience investigating, analyzing, and resolving issues with minimal guidance.
  • Provides effective direct legal service delivery, to include fact finding, problem analysis, problem solving, legal writing, and interpreting regulations and policies.
  • Prepares legal materials which may significantly affect the litigation process or agency position.
  • Experience interviewing clients, witnesses and claimants.

or
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
or
3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree
or
LL.M., if related

NOTE: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable. Superior Academic Achievement: S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

Additional information on the qualification requirements are outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/

Graduate Education: Education at the graduate level in an accredited college or university in the amounts shown in the table meets the requirements for positions at GS-7 through GS-11. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Additional information on the qualification requirements are outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on OPM's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/classifying-general-schedule-positions/ . For more information regarding SAA please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=General-Polic

Education

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report attendance and/or degrees from only these schools. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following websites: www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html and http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ .

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs.

Additional information

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be rated on the following competencies based on your application for this position:

Competency 1 - Attention to Detail

Competency 2 -Self Management

Competency 3 - Legal Research

Competency 4 - Writing

If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to: responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume/application does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

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.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

The following documents are required:
  • Your Résumé (Must include series, grade, step, starting and ending dates of employment, month and year, and hours worked per week, and salary information).
  • Current, permanent Office of General Counsel Employees , you must submit a copy of your last or most recent signed Notification of Personnel Action (SF50) showing your position, title, series, grade and eligibility. Applicants who fail to submit this form will be rated INELIGIBLE (SF-50 must be in PDF format; text format will not be accepted). Note:. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade. Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
    • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
    • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
    • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.
  • If using education to apply, please provide a copy of unofficial transcripts. Must show name of college to determine accreditation. If qualifying based on degree, or for positions requiring a degree, the transcript must show date the degree was conferred. If selected, you must provide official transcripts. NOTE: Transcripts should state degree conferred, and have a date.
  • Please use this checklist to ensure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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