Essential Duties
Under general supervision of the Supervisory Paralegal Specialist, as well as the supervisors of the Violent Crime Unit, the Paralegal will:
- Perform legal research:
- Has a working knowledge of all important legal research tools, including electronic data retrieval, WESTLAW, etc.
- With minimal supervision, researches basic legal questions and identifies and fully documents all applicable legal authority, prepares complete and accurate background histories, cite checks and Shepardizes.
- Has an excellent understanding of issues involved in assigned matters.
- Perform legal research:
- Has a working knowledge of all important legal research tools, including electronic data retrieval, WESTLAW, etc.
- With minimal supervision, researches basic legal questions and identifies and fully documents all applicable legal authority, prepares complete and accurate background histories, cite checks and Shepardizes.
- Has an excellent understanding of issues involved in assigned matters.
- Perform factual research:
- Participates in pre-trial witness conferences, noting any deficiencies in case materials (e.g., missing documents, conflicting statements) and additional issues or other matters requiring investigation prior to trial.
- Analyzes and presents regulatory, industry, medical or business information.
- Uses the internet and computer databases competently to assist in factual research.
- Summarizes and presents facts in appropriate format, such as memoranda, charts, tables and spreadsheets.
- Digital legal documents:
- As required, prepares and organizes trial documents, memoranda, reports, correspondence and trial exhibits.
- Written work is consistently well-organized, clear, and persuasive with well-supported arguments.
- Work is consistently free of errors in format, grammar, citation form, and punctuation.
- Manage evidence:
- Assumes responsibility for organization and logistics in the assembly of evidence and other documents.
- Works with Litigation Support to organize evidence in databases.
- Indexes documents received from third parties.
- Effectively organizes data and develops trial exhibits such as statistical charts, graphs and timelines to be presented in court as corroborative evidence.
- May present exhibits using trial presentation software in court.
- Prepare materials for discovery:
- Assumes responsibility for organization and logistics in the assembly of evidence and other documents for production as discovery.
- Indexes documents produced in discovery.
- Reviews discovery production for privileged content and redacts information as necessary.
Qualifications
Comprehensive knowledge and skill in fact gathering, problem analysis and the interpretation of laws, regulations and policies related to violent crime and firearms offenses.
Thorough knowledge of legal principles and concepts to interpret, apply and/or explain to others the application of a body of law, regulations, and practices related to violent crime and firearms offenses.
Thorough knowledge of the principles, concepts, and methods of legal research and reference sources such as directives and policies, commercial legal publications and automated legal research systems sufficient to use considerable ingenuity to anticipate program or case requirements, develop legal arguments and supporting evidence, resolve conflicting statements, or search for corroborating or contravening precedents.
In-depth knowledge of legal techniques and skills necessary to analyze issues of fact and issues of law in order to draft legal documents, briefs, advisory opinions or findings.
Practical knowledge of the legal activities and substantive mission of the USAO in order to assess case requirements and determine legality of actions.
Skill in recognizing the dimensions of a case, identifying information that is needed and developing a recommendation or taking action that is consistent with program requirements and management objectives.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, relevant findings and conclusions using appropriate language, legal reasoning and organization of facts and ideas.
Contact
To apply, please submit your resume to USAPAE.Staffing-Paralegal@usdoj.gov