Paralegal Specialist

Summary This position is located in the Board of Immigration Appeals (Board), Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Department of Justice. The Paralegal Specialist provides assistance to the Appellate Immigration Judges (AIJs) and Attorney Advisors in case adjudications by performing legal research and analysis; drafting documents; and creating and maintaining case files. Duties This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance. As a Paralegal Specialist GS-0950-9/11, your typical work assignments may include the following under supervision: Screening and reviewing case files to identify and record legal issues; processing and moving screened cases based upon review thereof. Performing extensive and thorough legal research into laws, legislative history, precedent setting cases, decisions, and opinions that may be applicable. Drafting administrative decisions to be reviewed by AIJs; drafting responses to motions, and notice letters to parties before the Board. Providing technical support to staff members, attorneys, managers, and AIJs during various stages of case processing and adjudication, and timely responds to inquiries regarding the status and processing of cases. Preparing memoranda and reports, and compiling data and other information relating to ongoing immigration matters. Monitoring the case management system for judicial and internal deadlines. Responding to time-sensitive phone calls and email inquiries from the public and the Department of Homeland Security concerning motions for stay of removal; assisting attorneys and AIJs in preparing the case file for review in adjudicating the motions for stay of removal. Requirements Conditions of employment Complete the initial online assessment and USA Hire Assessment, if required You must complete a background investigation, credit check, and drug test. You must be a U.S. Citizen or National. Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable. Probationary period will apply. May be required to file a Financial Disclosure. Salary payments must be by direct deposit to a financial institution. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov). Qualifications In order to qualify for the Paralegal Specialist 0950-09 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Drafting judicial papers or responses to motions, such as, subpoenas, change of venue, or motions to terminate. Evaluating judicial orders, decisions, bond proceedings, or legal documents for case law compliance. Entering data into case management systems according to proper data entry requirements. Obtaining factual information or research through face-to-face meetings with legal support personnel. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) -OR- Education: Have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree OR two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.B. or J.D., in a directly related field. (Must provide transcripts.) NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of the above-described graduate education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-09 level. Only graduate education beyond the first year (18 semester hours) may be used when combining education and experience for this option. NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties: Writing analyses and/or legal memoranda regarding the results of research. Performing legal research into laws, legislative history, precedent setting cases, decisions or opinions. Creating user defined reports relating to ongoing legal matters. Advising or explaining factual information or research to general public through face-to-face meetings. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) -OR- Education: Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.M. in a directly related field. (Must submit transcripts.) NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: Must have a combination of experience and education which totals 100% of the necessary experience and education needed to qualify for this position. (Only graduate education beyond one year, i.e., 18 semester hours, may be combined with experience under this provision.) NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here. NOTE: In order to be rated as meeting the minimum qualifications, we must be able to determine from your application package that you have the education and/or specialized experience that is required. Your resume MUST contain your full name, some form of contact information (phone number, email address and/or living address), and the following employment information: Employer name and location for each position held. From and to dates (MM/YY-MM/YY or from MM/YY to "present") for each position held. The month and year is required to fully credit your time. For part-time positions, please include number of hours worked per week, positions that do not include this information will be assumed as full-time (40 hours a week). Grade/levels held for each federal position. (Ex. GS-11; IR-06; FV-G…etc.) Detailed descriptions of experience under each position held. (Applicants must provide specific supporting examples to show that they meet the qualifications of the position shown in the announcement.) Any submitted documents not required or requested for this vacancy will not be considered (i.e. training certificates, case filings, letter of recommendations, etc.). (ALL INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION PRIOR TO FINAL SELECTION.) Education ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? Education must be accredited by an accredited 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). You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation by clicking here. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. (Note: If you are selected for this position based on education, an official transcript will be required, prior to your first day.) You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Special Instructions for 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 accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, click here. Translated transcripts are required. Additional information Conditions of Employment: Only U.S. Citizens or Nationals are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ applicants, both U.S. citizens and non-citizens, whose job location is with the U.S., must meet the residency requirement. For a total of three (not necessarily consecutive years) of the five years immediately prior to applying for a position, the applicant must have: 1) resided in the U.S., 2) worked for the U.S. overseas in a Federal or military capacity; or 3) been a dependent of a Federal or military employee serving oversees. If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and are claiming 5-points veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also submit an SF-15, "Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference" plus the proof required by that form. For more information on veterans' preference visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Veterans. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and (for scored examining) score 85 or better on established ranking criteria OR (for category rating criteria) rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria and must submit proof of eligibility for the special selection priority. Additional information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility can be found by clicking here. Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Salaries listed above are an approximation and are subject to duty station locality adjustment. 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. Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a 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. 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. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. 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.