Paralegal Specialist (Litigation)

Summary This position is located at Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of General Counsel. This opportunity is also open to Status Candidates under Announcement 26-HUD-12940012. Please refer to that announcement for details on open period, eligibility, and how to apply. Learn more about this agency Duties HUD's Mission The mission of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is to foster strong communities by supporting access to quality, affordable housing, expanding the housing supply, and unlocking homeownership opportunities for the American people. The Department is committed to furthering the promise of self-sufficiency in every American while promoting economic development to revitalize rural, tribal, and urban communities across the country. This position is located in the Office of General Counsel (OGC). OGC is the chief legal office of the Department, the principal legal adviser to the Secretary and staff of HUD, and the head of the Departmental Enforcement Center. OGC provides legal opinions, advice, and services with respect to all Departmental programs and activities and assists in the development of HUD programs and policies. OGC also provides functional legal counsel on defensive and affirmative litigation and the development of legislation and regulations. The following are the duties of this position at the GS-12. If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this position. As a Paralegal Specialist (Litigation), you will: Perform complex and comprehensive legal research and technical duties with respect to HUD programs. Research and analyze relevant statutes, regulations and case law using on-line resources such as Westlaw/Lexis, and where appropriate can conduct research using law library resources. Examine and evaluate information in records and case files, with reference to litigation worthiness. Provide litigation case file management, including document control. Assist with trial preparation, propounds and tracks eDiscovery, and assist with production of discovery as assigned. Perform initial review of FOIA exemptions and Privacy Act requirements. Ensure that information is lawfully released, redacted, or withheld in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act exemptions, Privacy Act or with the requirements of protecting Attorney-Client privileged information. Prepare and/or reviews various legal documents that serve as the basis of legal arguments, interpretations, settlements and opinions. Requirements Conditions of employment Candidates will be selected for a job assigned to one of the official duty stations listed in this announcement. Failure to report to duty at the location for which the candidate is selected may be grounds for a disciplinary action, including removal. Key Requirements: Must be U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. A one year probationary period may be required. Continued employment is contingent upon supervisory certification that continued employment will benefit the Federal Service; the certification will occur no less than 30 days before the end of the probationary/trial period. Must successfully complete a background investigation. Public Trust - Background Investigation will be required. Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency. Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form i-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S. Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel. Please refer to "Additional Information Section for additional Conditions of Employment." Qualifications You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Specialized Experience: For the GS-12 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes: Work experience where the applicant has regularly performed legal research and prepared necessary documentation in the course of litigation, and analyzes relevant statutes, regulations and case law using on-line resources such as Westlaw/Lexis or responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, supports real estate closings, real estate transactions, foreclosures, or other HUD Program areas. Specialized Experience: For the GS-11 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes: Work experience where the applicant has regularly performed legal research and prepared necessary documentation in the course of real estate closings, real estate transactions, foreclosures, or other housing areas and/or responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. OR Education: 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, in an accredited college or university that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR A combination of education and experience. Only graduate level education in excess of 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours), may be used to combine education and experience. Specialized Experience: For the GS-09 grade level, you must have one year (52 full weeks) of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized Experience for this position includes: Experience where the applicant performed legal research and prepared necessary documentation in support of legal recommendations and/or responses to legal proceedings, contracts, foreclosures, or real estate closings. OR Education: 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. in an accredited college or university that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR A combination of education and experience. Only graduate level education in excess of 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours), may be used to combine education and experience. The experience may have been gained in either the public, private sector or volunteer service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week on your resume. Education The education generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions. Additional information OTHER INFORMATION: We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. Relocation expenses will not be paid. Relocation incentive will not be paid. Recruitment incentive will not be paid. This is a non-bargaining unit position. This position is Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). HUD offers alternative and flexible work schedules. This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies for similar positions across HUD. During the online application process, you will be asked to specify if you would like your application information shared with other hiring managers in the Program Office listed in this announcement or in other HUD Program Offices. Opting to share your application information will not impact your application for this announcement, nor will it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT (CONTINUED): HUD employees are subject to a number of government-wide and HUD specific ethics laws and regulations, including restrictions on working in a real estate related business, and having Section 8 tenants, along with other prohibited interests and activities. To review applicable ethics rules and HUD specific restrictions, please visit https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/general_counsel/ethics. 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 reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire 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.