Description
POSITION TITLE: Paralegal Specialist
LOCATION:
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Public Advocacy Division
Antitrust and Nonprofit Enforcement Section
400 Sixth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001
REMOTE WORK STATUS: A hybrid remote telework/in-office schedule option is available.
COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT: The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG) is committed to providing the highest quality legal and programmatic services to the District and its residents while ensuring the health and safety of employees, customers, clients, volunteers, contractors, and other visitors.
The District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General values the safety of our employees, our residents, and our visitors. In support of these values, OAG employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates sincerely held religious beliefs. The selected candidate must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative.
JOB REQUISITION NUMBER: 2023-77
NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 1
OPENING DATE: June 23, 2023
CLOSING DATE: July 5, 2023
SALARY: $87,339This salary is within the Career Service salary schedule at a Grade 12. The salary will be based on a multitude of factors including applicable rules, regulations, and guidelines.
PAY PLAN, SERIES, AND GRADE: CS-950-12
TYPE OF APPOINTMENT: Career Service — 13 Month Term Appointment
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNIT: This position is in the collective bargaining unit represented by AFSCME Local 2401 and you may be required to pay an agency service fee through direct payroll deduction.
AREA OF CONSIDERATION: Open to the Public
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES: The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for the District of Columbia is seeking a Paralegal Specialist to work in the Public Advocacy Division, Antitrust and Nonprofit Enforcement Section. The Paralegal Specialist will primarily work on antitrust matters, but assist with nonprofit matters based on the Section’s needs and the Paralegal Specialist’s interests and skills.
The Paralegal Specialist:
• Maintains case files and correspondence.
• Provides assistance to attorneys with the preparation of case files including the preparation of discovery materials to be provided to litigants, the preparation of subpoenas and court filings, and requesting and obtaining necessary documents and information from outside agencies.
• Prepares a variety of legal documents, including litigation hold letters, written discovery requests and responses, privilege logs, and indexes.
• Performs legal research, including search of statutes, regulations, legislative history, case law and other legal authorities applicable to particular legal matters.
• Reviews, analyzes, and organize facts, documents and other evidence.
• Handles sensitive information, confidential information, and information subject to the attorney client privilege, the attorney work product privilege, and various agency privileges.
• Attends meetings where relevant legal and factual issues are discussed.
• Assists the attorneys in the preparation of government and expert witnesses for trial.
• Prepares trial notebooks, schedules witness conferences; prepares trial subpoenas; summarizes deposition transcripts; drafts and, if qualified, cite-checks legal documents and pleadings; prepares and organizes exhibits.
• Attends trial and assists the attorneys as needed.
• Investigates and becoming familiar with the facts of assigned cases.
• Establishes and maintains an effective system of monitoring and tracking cases to ensure compliance with all internal and judicially imposed relevant deadlines.
• Identifies, defines, and analyzes operational problems and pose options and alternatives to existing procedures.
• Performs other related duties as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify at the CS-12 level, candidates must have at least one full (1) year of specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the CS-11 level in the District Service. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing a variety of analytical paralegal or legal work that demonstrates a practical knowledge of the law, the litigation and judicial process, and applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following duties: 1) analyze and evaluate fact patterns, legal decisions, and case files to identify relevant issues and potential evidence, for new and existing cases; 2) conduct legal research concerning precedents and past court decisions; composing legal briefs, summaries of analysis and decisions, and pre-trial documents for investigations; 3) interview witnesses and various individuals who can provide insight into cases under review; 4) prepare evidence and documents to support recommendations; and 5) utilize a variety of electronic legal research tools. Antitrust experience and/or college-level coursework in economics is preferred but not required.
SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: A law degree, paralegal certificate, or college degree in a related field and at least three (3) years of experience may be accepted as a substitute for total qualification requirements. To receive credit, applicants must submit official proof of educational attainment at the time of application.
TIME-IN-GRADE RESTRICTIONS: Time in grade restrictions must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.
SUBMISSION OF RANKING FACTORS: The following ranking factors will be used in the evaluation process. All applicants MUST respond to the ranking factors by submitting responses in the relevant area provided on the application questionnaire. Please describe specific achievements, experience, education, training, etc. that demonstrates the degree to which you possess the job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities described in the ranking factors. The information given in response to the ranking factors should be complete and accurate to the best of your knowledge.FAILURE TO RESPOND TO ALL RANKING FACTORS WILL ELIMINATE YOU FROM CONSIDERATION.
Ranking Factor #1: Skill and relevant experience using Relativity or similar document management software to organize, review and summarize document collections for production or for use by attorneys; skill and experience creating and maintaining production and privilege logs and summaries of relevant documents; ability to use technology to organize or log information.
Ranking Factor #2: Knowledge of the rules governing discovery in civil litigation and general knowledge of legal procedures and the judicial system.
Ranking Factor #3: Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, including but not limited to use of PowerPoint; ability to prepare a variety of documents, including written discovery and responses to discovery, memoranda, and reports; ability to discuss issues and findings; and ability to provide information to attorneys, supervisors, other staff and agency personnel.
Ranking Factor #4: Knowledge of and proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel for basic data analysis, case tracking software, etc. and a willingness to learn new technology associated with assigned work tasks.
Ranking Factor #5: Skill in general legal research methods is required to locate relevant rules, statutes and case law precedent.
OTHER INFORMATION: A background investigation will be conducted.
HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates must apply online by 11:59 pm of the closing date. All applications must include the completed ranking factors, along with a cover letter, resume, a list of three professional references. Please ensure that all required documents are included prior to submitting the application.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS:
GENERAL SUITABILITY SCREENING: The selected candidate will be subject to a general background investigation, including reference checks.
PRIORITY CONSIDERATION: Candidates who are eligible for the District of Columbia’s Displaced Employee Program (DEP) and Agency Reemployment Priority Placement Program (ARPP) will be given priority consideration for this position if found qualified.
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: Selectee will be eligible for health and life insurance, annual (vacation), and sick leave and will be covered under the District of Columbia government’s retirement plan. However, if selectee was previously employed in the District of Columbia’s government under an appointment for which he/she was eligible for Civil Service Retirement (CSR), contributions to CSR will resume upon re-employment.
RESIDENCY PREFERENCE AMENDMENT ACT OF 1998: A person applying for a position in the Career Service, Education Service, Management Supervisory Service, an attorney position in the Legal Service (series 905) other than in the Senior Executive Attorney Service (SEAS), or an attorney in the Excepted Service (series 905) who is a bona fide District resident AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION for the position, may be awarded a 10-point residency preference over non-District residents’ applications, unless the person declines the preference points. If selected, the person shall be required to present no less than 8 proofs of bona fide District residency and maintain such residency for 7 consecutive years from the effective date of the appointment. Failure to maintain bona fide District residency for the 7-year period will result in forfeiture of employment.
VETERANS’ PREFERENCE: Applicants claiming Veterans’ Preference must submit official proof at the time of application.
DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE: Pursuant to the requirements of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998, the individual selected to fill this position will, as a condition of employment, be required to notify his/her immediate supervisor, in writing, not later than five (5) days after conviction of or a plea of guilty to a violation of any criminal drug statute occurring in the workplace.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, genetic information, or political affiliation.
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION: In accordance with the D.C. Human Rights Act of 1977, as amended, D.C. Official Code, Section 2-1401.01 et. seq., (Act) the District of Columbia does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, familial status, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, genetic information, source of income, or place of residence or business. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is also prohibited by the Act. In addition, harassment based on any of the above protected categories is prohibited by the Act. Discrimination in violation of the Act will not be tolerated. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action.
OFFICIAL JOB OFFERS ARE MADE ONLY BY THE HUMAN RESOURCES SECTION OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
Important: Your COMPLETE application is important to OAG hiring process. Please ensure that you have read through the requisition in its entirety. Any REQUIRED document/s i.e. Resume, Cover Letter, DC2000RP, and/or KSAs as applicable, are included BEFORE you SUBMIT the application. You will NOT be able to re-submit. Thank you.