Legal Assistant

Full job description Summary
For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
This job is open to
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of this agency.
Clarification from the agency
Current Federal employees in permanent competitive service positions (status candidates) in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania plus well-qualified surplus and displaced DOJ employees (CTAP) in the local commuting area. Internal Employees Only.
Duties
If selected for this position, you will support Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) by providing a variety of legal assistance and office support services. Duties include:
Preparing a wide variety of legal documents based on case information and documentation, such as indictments, criminal complaints, search warrants, judgments, applications, notices, affidavits, summonses, grand jury subpoenas and non-disclosure orders.
Conducting a variety of discovery and research duties pertaining to legal actions, requests, or matters associated with cybercrime and national security cases.
Maintaining current knowledge of regulations, laws, requirements, decisions, departmental requirements, and changes that impact current criminal cases or procedures for cases in cybercrime.
Examining and making substantive processing determinations and initiating actions based on analysis of the situation or circumstances behind the documentation submitted.
Maintaining knowledge of national security procedures including the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) and its practical application to the handling of classified materials and cases.
Organizing cases for trial and coordinating with law enforcement agencies, court personnel, and other staff.
Reviewing incoming material and determining the need for correspondence and legal documents such as motions, orders, pleadings and subpoenas.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
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
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 requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.
Qualifications
GS-8: To be eligible at the GS-8 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level.
Specialized experience is defined as experience preparing and processing a variety of technical legal documents which are characteristically voluminous and complex in format (e.g. pleadings, stipulations, motions, briefs, affidavits, complaints, orders and subpoenas); obtaining information from files, law enforcement agencies, or other sources; conducting factual and legal research and providing requested information to attorneys; aiding in the preparation and organization of evidence for use in trial.
To be qualified, you must type at least 40 words per minute based on a 5 minute sample with three or fewer errors. (A typing test may later be required.)
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
Education
Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this series/grade level.
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. EEO Statement: The Department of Justice is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment for all employees and applicants. See U.S. Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Policy for complete details. Diversity Statement: As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.
You will be rated on the following Competencies (see The OPM Website for definitions):
Integrity/Honesty, Reasoning, Self-Management, and Technical Competence
The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Required Documents
You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:
Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process). Required: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (month/day/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time)(cover letter optional). Required if you are a current or former Federal employee: a recent copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing title, series, grade, and full performance level (FPL); AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. Please note your SF-50 must include your FPL in the remark section (e.g., appointment, reassignment, promotion actions), pay adjustments and awards do not include this information so they are not acceptable. Required, if applicable: CTAP/ICTAP documentation (a copy of a separation notice or other proof of eligibility) for priority selection; a copy of an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing current position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location; AND a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. 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.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/17/2024 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)
3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link:
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. If you are unable to apply online, contact Marisa Bailey at or as soon as possible to arrange an alternative application process.
You must specify in your questionnaire under what authority you wish to be considered and submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility. 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.
Agency contact information
Marisa Bailey
Phone
Email
Address
Western District of Pennsylvania
700 Grant St.
Suite 4000
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
US
Next steps
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit check, and drug test by urinalysis. We expect to make a final job offer within 80 days after the closing date of the announcement.