Paralegal Specialist

Summary

About the Position: This is a Paralegal Specialist GS-0950-12 position for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Southwestern Division, Tulsa District, Tulsa, Oklahoma. For additional information on USACE Tulsa District click Here

Duties

• Incumbent serves as the Paralegal Specialist, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)/Privacy Act Officer, and Law Office Manager in the Tulsa District, Office of Counsel (SWT-OC)
• Perform substantive detailed, complex, and independent legal research in complex material (statutes, regulations, case law, etc.), in support of the District Counsel, Deputy District Counsel, or any one of eight Assistant District Counsels.
• Frequently works on his/her own initiative to develop innovative solutions to difficult legal problems. Uses a broad spectrum of legal resources, including computer databases and traditional research methods.
• Assist attorneys in connection with investigations of actual or potential claims, including those by and against the Government, as permitted by the Federal Tort Claims Act and the Contract Disputes Act.
• Draft a wide array of legal documents and filings for the Corps or Department of Justice (DOJ) in all types of litigation.
• Select, prepare, identify, mark, and compile exhibits, including visual aids, and provide exhibits to the parties and Judge.
• Evaluate the applicability of FOIA exemptions under frequently abstruse or incomplete case law or DOJ guidelines, and develop legal analysis supporting recommended denials for submission to the Initial Denial Authority (IDA).
• Assist the District Counsel or designee with the management and the development of the Office of Counsel budget, administrative personnel program, and training program.
• Give advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements described below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) collecting, independently reviewing and processing large and complex volumes of documents, applying laws and regulations related to document processing, such as Federal Rules of Evidence, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); AND 2) assisting attorneys in preparing legal documents and independently drafting legal documents (including independent legal research and fact gathering); AND 3) experience with Adobe, word processing and spreadsheets, legal matter tracking systems, and legal research systems (such as Westlaw and Lexis); AND 4) assisting in management of, and budgeting for, an office of professionals. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

How You Will Be Evaluated

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 Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category. Best Qualified. Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for the announced position. Highly Qualified. Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for the announced position. Qualified. Candidates in this category meet the minimum experience requirements for the announced position. You may claim Military Spouse preference. You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference. Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. Other Information

Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration. You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship. This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest. Direct Deposit of Pay is required. This position requires you to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE450) upon entry, and annually thereafter. Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees. If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet. This is a Legal Career Program (56) position aligned under the Public Affair, Inspector General, Legal, Lering, Archives, & Relations/Communications (PILLAR) Career Management Directorate. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement. Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest. You must submit your 2 most recent performance appraisal if you are a current or former federal employee (see Required Documents). Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information