Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support)

Summary For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 26-NM-12930423-MS. Learn more about this agency Duties Overview of the United States Attorney's Office - District of New Mexico With a talented workforce of over 100,000 people, the mission of the Department of Justice is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. You will be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty and the property of citizens. The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the District of New Mexico is one of 94 USAOs in the nation. But our office is unique. New Mexico is home to 23 tribes and pueblos, 4 military bases, and 2 national labs. New Mexico is the fifth biggest state of the union in size, shares a border with Mexico, and is a major international and economic corridor. The USAO is primarily responsible for prosecuting federal crime occurring in the District of New Mexico. The USAO partners with tribal, state, county, city, and foreign governments to ensure our communities are safe and prosperous. The mission of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico is to uphold the rule of law, keep New Mexico and the nation safe, and to protect civil rights. The Office earns the public trust by following the facts wherever they lead, without fear or favor. The Office adheres to the highest standards of excellence and ethical behavior, interested not in winning cases but in ensuring justice is done. If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in our Litigation Support Unit responsible for providing litigation support services to manage and analyze case materials in support of a trial team. As a Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support), you will: Determine the details and the government's strategy for the case in conjunction with Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs), investigators, federal agents, and paralegal specialists. Assure documents are organized for efficient automated storage and retrieval by preparing appropriate indices, defining data file search criteria and indexing/coding fields. Recommend software packages including database, spreadsheet and word processing applications that are most effective for presentation of evidence, as well as meeting individual user needs. Analyze automated litigation support functions and recommend changes to increase the system efficiency and effectiveness in coordination with the Litigation Support Unit team. Monitor system use and response time, conduct cost-benefit analyses, and develop implementation plans. Study, design, and develop litigation support systems to facilitate the provision of legal functions. Maintain inventory and track litigation support equipment, i.e. graphics, computer-based equipment, photographing devices, video and audio equipment, models, and other items commonly used in trial preparation and maintains same in good working order. 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 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. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Qualifications GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as working in a legal environment providing technical advice to litigation teams on legal automation requirements and system capabilities; organizing and managing voluminous case information for efficient retrieval through scanning, indexing and controlling documents into a database; analyzing litigation support requirements to develop or recommend appropriate strategies to meet litigation needs; recommending software applications to effectively present complex evidence; and diagnosing and resolving litigation support computer system problems. 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/. 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 Relocation Expenses: Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. Relocation Incentives: Relocation incentives may be authorized if this position is determined to be difficult to fill, if supported by the skills of the selected candidate, and subject to the availability of funds. Recruitment Incentives: Recruitment incentives may be authorized if this position is determined to be difficult to fill, if supported by the skills of the selected candidate, and subject to the availability of funds. Benefits: 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 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. Expand Hide  additional 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. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.