Legal Administrative Specialist

Summary The Environmental Enforcement Section is comprised of talented lawyers and other professionals who work together to enforce the Nation's pollution, environmental cleanup, and natural resource damage laws - all to protect public health and the environment. Learn more about this agency Duties This vacancy is also being announced concurrently with Ann# ENRD-26-038-MP for employees with Federal status or eligibility and applicants eligible for special appointment authorities. Please review that announcement to determine if you are eligible to apply. Applicants must apply separately for each announcement. The successful candidate selected for this position will join a select team of highly respected professional staff in the Section's Case Management Unit ("CMU"). The CMU performs a broad range of specialized duties, critical to the operation of the Section and ENRD, most notably involving financial work. The CMU inputs and tracks civil financial debts owed to the United States, produces reports needed to satisfy reporting and tracking obligations, along with other assigned tasks that benefit the operation of the Section. The successful candidate must be comfortable working independently and as part of a small team and must be comfortable training and collaborating through a primarily Microsoft Teams-based platform that is essential for driving work performed across multiple databases and systems. The CMU operates within EES's Management Group, so the candidate selected will report directly to the Assistant Section Chief for Management. Responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Specialist include: Reviewing a variety of complex documents (including case referrals, memos, emails, settlement agreements, court judgments) to extract relevant data and case information, input data, and perform quality assurance across multiple databases. Interpreting settlement agreements, court judgments, and other legal documents to ensure accurate financial coding of all debts owed to the United States. Ensuring that certain penalties are routed to special funds, defendants are assessed the correct amounts, payments are routed to the proper federal agency, and monetary penalties are distinguished from costs and natural resource damages. Interpreting all non-monetary relief and accurately recording its estimated value; noting whether work required will take longer than 3 years to complete; and distinguishing between mitigation projects and injunctive relief work required to achieve compliance with relevant statutes. Coordinating with EES attorneys to tailor the language used in payment provisions for settlement agreements, so that provisions are sufficiently clear and precise for the subsequent creation of debts and the financial coding of payments. Writing clear and concise emails to attorneys summarizing financial data or seeking financial data and other case information. Ensuring that accurate and timely information is transmitted to the Department-wide debt collection database and notifying the Financial Litigation Program (FLP) of the U.S. Attorney's Offices to send payment instructions to defendants. Coordinating with ENRD attorneys, FLPs, client agencies and other internal and external stakeholders to support the accurate and timely collection of monies owed to the United States. Generating multiple standard (often monthly) reports and designing ad hoc reports as needed to assist managers. Reviewing and transmitting Federal Register notices for publication, gathering any public comments, and routing public comments to the appropriate attorneys. This is a dynamic role. The successful candidate should enjoy working with a cohesive team within EES' Management Group that is collegial, nimble and capable of very precise work. The CMU has a well-earned reputation for excellence and is routinely called upon by attorneys and managers to assist with matters within its specialized scope of duties. Requirements Conditions of employment Must be a U.S. citizen or national Must complete a Background Investigation to include pre-employment drug testing Must complete or have completed a one-year probationary period. Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable Must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by closing date If this is your first appointment in the Federal service, your salary will be set at Step 1 of the grade selected. Qualifications To qualify for this position at GS-9, you must have one of the following: A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-7 Federal grade level or above or (1) reviewing legal documents that initiate and conclude cases in litigation; and (2) working with complex databases, recording all required information into the database, and interpreting and reviewing the data to assure its accuracy and completeness. B. A master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or LL.B or J.D. Such education demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position; or C. A combination of graduate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. (Only graduate education in excess of the first full year may be used in this calculation). To qualify for GS-11: You must have at least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-9 Federal grade level (1) interpreting legal documents that initiate and conclude cases in litigation; and (2) working with complex databases, recording all required information into the database, interpreting and reviewing the data to assure its accuracy and completeness, and extracting the relevant data from the database in response to requests for information; or A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M. Such education demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Legal Administrative Specialist; or A combination of experience and graduate education described above, which when combined, are equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirements for this position at the GS-11 Federal grade level. (Only graduate education in excess of the second year may be used in this calculation). Qualifying education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps; AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skill and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. To preview questions, please click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12970275 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 www.ed.gov. Additional information Career Transition Programs: The Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in DOJ with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If you have received written notification of your eligibility for consideration under CTAP/ICTAP, you may receive special priority consideration for this position if you satisfy all qualification requirements and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to or claim veteran preference (VP), you should indicate the type of veteran preference (5 or 10 points) you are claiming on your resume. In order to determine your eligibility, you can find additional information at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/veterans-services/vet-guide/ To verify your veteran preference entitlement, submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214; official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. If you are claiming 10-point preference, you must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reserve side of the SF-15, Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference. If you are claiming 10-point DERIVED PREFERENCE as a relative you must submit Member Copy 4 of the veteran's DD-214 and an SF-15 in addition to the supporting documentation required and identified on the reverse side of the SF-15. If you fail to do so, you will receive consideration as a non-veteran. Benefits: DOJ 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.General Employment Information: DOJ EEO STATEMENT: Find our EEO statement online at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/dl?inline SELECTIVE SERVICE: Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov 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.