What are the responsibilities and job description for the Paralegal Specialist - Environmental Defense Section position at Environmental Defense Section?
This position is located in the Environmental Defense Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. The Section represents the United States in complex litigation arising under a broad range of environmental statutes, and defends the United States against challenges to its cleanup and compliance actions at Superfund sites, federally-owned facilities and private sites. The incumbent will provide paralegal support to the Section's attorneys.
A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-5 Federal grade level providing litigation support in a legal environment. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, using litigation software to identify documents potentially relevant to litigation cases or maintaining legal databases used to track the production and receipt of documents, or
B. A bachelor's degree and Superior Academic Achievement (See below), or
C. One full year of graduate level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work, or
D. A combination of education and specialized experience, that together meet 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
Superior Academic Achievement: This provision applies to persons who have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university as evidenced by one of three methods described below (within a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled):
A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-7 Federal grade level or above utilizing automated legal databases to verify legal citations and statutory references; analyzing and organizing factual, legal, and archival records; providing assistance to attorneys in preparation for hearings and/or trials; and creating and maintaining litigation databases for management of case materials; or
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 a Paralegal Specialist; 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 one of the following:
A. One year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-9 Federal grade level or above preparing summaries of depositions and other documents; performing factual, legal, and archival research; compiling and researching a variety of sources to verify, support, or dispute case information; and resolving problems in line with established policies, precedents, directives, and practices; or
B. A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or
C. Three (3) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related; or
D. A combination of education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. (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.
Applicants are required to submit a writing sample. Please provide a 1-5 page double spaced sample for which you are the primary author. This can include papers, or portions of papers, submitted for classes or writing assignments done for a previous employer.
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/12969646
The Environmental Defense Section offers one of the most varied dockets within the Division, routinely handling cases in the federal courts of appeals and district courts. EDS defends petitions for review brought in the courts of appeals pursuant to special statutory judicial review provisions of the environmental statutes, as well as claims for judicial review brought in district courts pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. The substance of these cases ranges, for example, from high-profile, multi-party challenges to national EPA rules (such as major Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act rules) to more targeted challenges to site-specific agency decisions. EDS also handles complex claims of liability against federal agencies under pollution control laws, such as for costs of response actions at Superfund sites, federally owned facilities, and private sites. The Section also brings affirmative civil enforcement actions in district courts for unpermitted discharges of dredged and fill material to waters of the United States under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
As a Paralegal Specialist, typical work assignments may include the following:
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position at GS-7, you must have one of the following:A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-5 Federal grade level providing litigation support in a legal environment. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, using litigation software to identify documents potentially relevant to litigation cases or maintaining legal databases used to track the production and receipt of documents, or
B. A bachelor's degree and Superior Academic Achievement (See below), or
C. One full year of graduate level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work, or
D. A combination of education and specialized experience, that together meet 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.
Superior Academic Achievement: This provision applies to persons who have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university as evidenced by one of three methods described below (within a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled):
- Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
- Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B " or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
- Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies.
A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-7 Federal grade level or above utilizing automated legal databases to verify legal citations and statutory references; analyzing and organizing factual, legal, and archival records; providing assistance to attorneys in preparation for hearings and/or trials; and creating and maintaining litigation databases for management of case materials; or
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 a Paralegal Specialist; 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 one of the following:
A. One year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-9 Federal grade level or above preparing summaries of depositions and other documents; performing factual, legal, and archival research; compiling and researching a variety of sources to verify, support, or dispute case information; and resolving problems in line with established policies, precedents, directives, and practices; or
B. A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or
C. Three (3) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M., if related; or
D. A combination of education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. (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.
Applicants are required to submit a writing sample. Please provide a 1-5 page double spaced sample for which you are the primary author. This can include papers, or portions of papers, submitted for classes or writing assignments done for a previous employer.
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/12969646
The possible salary range for Washington DC:
- GS-07 ($57,736 - $75,059)
- GS-09 ($70,623 - $91,815)
- GS-11 ($85,447 - $111,087)
- GS-07 ($56,262 - $73,142)
- GS-09 ($68,819 - $89,470)
- GS-11 ($83,265 - $108,251)
Responsibilities:
This vacancy is also being announced concurrently with Ann# ENRD-26-034-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 Environmental Defense Section offers one of the most varied dockets within the Division, routinely handling cases in the federal courts of appeals and district courts. EDS defends petitions for review brought in the courts of appeals pursuant to special statutory judicial review provisions of the environmental statutes, as well as claims for judicial review brought in district courts pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. The substance of these cases ranges, for example, from high-profile, multi-party challenges to national EPA rules (such as major Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act rules) to more targeted challenges to site-specific agency decisions. EDS also handles complex claims of liability against federal agencies under pollution control laws, such as for costs of response actions at Superfund sites, federally owned facilities, and private sites. The Section also brings affirmative civil enforcement actions in district courts for unpermitted discharges of dredged and fill material to waters of the United States under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
As a Paralegal Specialist, typical work assignments may include the following:
- Conducting research in various databases including Westlaw, PACER and Lexis; performing cite checks pursuant to The Bluebook, compiling legislative histories; researching and verifying credentials of witnesses; proofreading and editing legal briefs and memoranda prior to filing in court; and ensuring conformance of documents to applicable court rules.
- Organizing and writing synopses of factual materials; summarizing depositions; preparing, organizing, and indexing administrative records; and preparing non-legal memoranda.
- Creating and maintaining litigation databases.
- Providing specialized litigation support services and coordinating trial logistics at off-site facilities, including with U.S. Attorneys' Offices and other government agencies; and traveling to various locations throughout the United States to assist with legal and technical assignments at trial.
- Performing case docketing; maintaining filing deadline calendar and coordinating with attorneys on each court filing; and preparing and assisting with filing all court documents.
- Collecting, analyzing, and recording case data in the Division's Case Management System.
Salary : $56,262 - $73,142