Summary This position serves as a Paralegal Specialist within the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, supporting federal criminal matters involving environmental and wildlife protection laws, immigration offenses, and complex cyber-related crimes. This role provides critical support in advancing cases that address emerging legal challenges and uphold the fair administration of justice. Responsibilities If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for assisting U.S. Attorney's by providing a wide variety of paralegal assistance services related to environmental and wildlife protection violations, immigration offenses, and high-tech cyber and intellectual crimes. Typical work assignments will include: Assisting Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in preparing for hearings, grand jury proceedings, and trial. Conducting legal research using federal and state statutes, regulations, case law, and legal research systems to support investigations and prosecutions. Drafting legal documents, correspondence, and case summaries for attorney review. Reviewing, summarizing, and outlining grand jury and/or trial testimony to assist the AUSA in preparation for grand jury or trial. Organizing cases for court presentation by preparing and organizing exhibits containing a variety of visual material; Providing attorneys with legal documents, case materials, exhibits, and witness information during investigations and court proceedings; Providing advice to attorneys and other legal support staff on the most effective and efficient ways to prepare, present, and maintain a variety of administrative legal documents. Tracking unit data, creating spreadsheets, and drafting quarterly and annual reports. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a Combination of Education and Experience. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a basic knowledge of legal research and the ability to interpret legal decisions. Examples of specialized experience include performing duties such as examining and processing a variety of legal documents; preparing and organizing evidence for production as discovery and for use in trial; drafting pleadings, motions, orders, subpoenas, or other legal documents and correspondence; conducting legal research using statutes, regulations, case law, and other legal reference materials; searching and reviewing case files and other sources for information and data required by attorneys or court personnel; and entering data into a case management tracking system. Education: One of the following @types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B. or J.D.); OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year. 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 OR Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Additional 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 http://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/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. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. 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.
