Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services)

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, Executive Office for Immigration Review, U. S. Department of Justice. This position provides legal and administrative support for immigration court proceedings through case file review, document processing, courtroom support, and technical assistance on case and hearing procedures. This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

Duties

The duties and responsibilities for a Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services), GS-0901-9/11 generally include, but are not limited to, the following: Reviews legal case files for scheduled hearings to verify required documents, notices, and case information are complete and available for court proceedings. Processes case actions during real-time court proceedings by organizing and providing required case files and supporting documents to the adjudicating official. Provides technical information on legal notices, hearing schedules, case status, and established court procedures to attorneys, parties, and the public. Maintains official case records by processing filings, updating dockets, authenticating court documents, and retaining or archiving records in accordance with established requirements. Supports courtroom operations by preparing hearing spaces and operating video teleconferencing or internet-based hearing equipment. Processes legal documents and case-related correspondence using automated systems to support motions, petitions, hearing notices, and other case actions. Researches case information and prepares case management reports to support the timely processing and tracking of legal proceedings. Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) 0901 -09 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (or comparable experience outside the Federal service), performing 3 or more of the following duties: Reviewing legal or administrative case files to identify required documents, notices, or information needed for scheduled proceedings; Processing legal or administrative documents in accordance with established policies, procedures, regulations, or filing requirements; Providing technical information to customers or parties concerning case status, hearing schedules, notices, or procedural requirements; and Using automated case management or records systems to update, retrieve, or track case information. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) -OR- Education: Applicants must have completed a master's OR equivalent graduate degree, OR two (2) full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or LL.B. or J.D. in a directly related field, that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess a combination of the above-described education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-09 level. 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. In order to qualify for the Legal Administrative Specialist (In-Court Services) 0901 -11 position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (or comparable experience outside the Federal service), performing 3 or more of the following duties: Analyzing legal or administrative case files to identify procedural issues, missing information, or actions needed to support scheduled proceedings; Applying established legal or administrative policies, regulations, precedents, or procedural guidance to resolve case-processing issues with limited supervision; Providing substantive procedural information to staff, customers, or other parties regarding case status, schedules, notices, or administrative requirements; and Evaluating case-processing issues to determine appropriate administrative action when information is incomplete, conflicting, or requires further research. (Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience) -OR- Education: Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree, OR three (3) full academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or LL.M. in a directly related field, that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess a combination of the above described education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-11 level. Only graduate education beyond two (2) years, i.e., 36 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. You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, (09/16/2026). Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement (09/16/2026) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application. Status candidates must meet time-in-grade requirements (52 weeks at the next lower grade level).

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. You must submit a transcript, which may be unofficial, as long as it contains a full listing of courses, credit earned, grade and grade-point-average, subject area, degree(s) earned, and dates of award. If you are using education to qualify for this position, or education is required: Your transcript must come from a nationally accredited educational institution recognized by the Department of Education. If submitting a foreign transcript, you must have the transcript reviewed by an approved foreign education review organization recognized by the Department of Education. Your transcript must also be in English or have an English translation included. How You Will Be Evaluated

How You Will be EvaluatedIn order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. Additionally, we will review your supporting documents and resume to determine if you are in the "Area of Consideration" for this vacancy. Government-Wide Merit Promotion vacancies may only accept applications from a limited audience, pay careful attention to the "Who May Apply" and the "Hiring Paths" information. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. BASIS OF FINAL RATING: DOJ's Merit Promotion Procedures will be used to evaluate candidates. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13059893 Other Information

Alternative work schedule options may be available. Tour of duty may include Saturdays. 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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable): As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to [email protected].