Videos Duties HelpDuties Summary This position is located in the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge in multiple Immigration Courts. Incumbent serves as a Legal Assistant. The Legal Assistant processes, analyzes and researches legal documents, generates reports, develops Records of Proceedings, and responds to FOIA requests. Learn more about this agency Responsibilities If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for directly and independently providing a wide variety of technical legal assistance services. The wide variety of technical legal assistance services are performed before, during and after immigration proceedings, in and out of the courtroom. The major duties of Legal Assistant (Court) GS-0986-05 include: Receiving visitors and telephone callers; Reviewing documents; Establishing and maintaining case files; and Preparing and processing legal correspondence. The major duties of Legal Assistant (Court) GS-0986-06 include the above mentioned and: Responding to Freedom of Information Act requests; Conducting research related to legal cases; Maintaining statistical data on cases; and Examining a variety of technical legal documents. The major duties of Legal Assistant (Court) GS-0986-07 include the above mentioned and: Searching files for material to assemble data into the proper format for reports; Checking and retiring files to the Federal Record Center; Composing original letters and memoranda not requiring legal interpretation; and Running and distributing reports. The major duties of Legal Assistant (Court) GS-0986-08 include the above mentioned and: Applying comprehensive legal regulations, techniques, and procedures to perform assistance work requiring extensive searches of records, reference or historical material and comparisons with complex, voluminous or broadly written criteria; Examining and processing charging documents which are voluminous and complex in format; Reviewing incoming documents/files and determining the need to create or reassemble a Record of Proceeding (ROP) file and process a variety of legal documents; and Conducting extensive searches for case information applying comprehensive legal regulations, specialized techniques, and procedures. Travel Required Not required Supervisory status No Promotion Potential 8 Job family (Series) 0986 Legal Assistance Requirements HelpRequirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen or National. You must complete a background investigation, credit check, and drug test. Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable. Probationary period will apply. May be required to file a Financial Disclosure. Salary payments must be by direct deposit to a financial institution. Qualifications In order to qualify for the Legal Assistant (OA) position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: GS-5: Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level in the Federal government applying knowledge of rules and procedures to perform a variety of legal support work. This type of work includes 1) preparing and processing standard, routine legal correspondence; 2) providing information to visitors and telephone callers; 3) using word processing software and printing devices to produce a variety of standardized documents such as letters and reports; and 4) maintaining legal files. OR Must have successfully completed 4 years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite is creditable. This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. OR Must have a combination of specialized experience described above and post high school education described above in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) that totals at least one year. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience GS-6: Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal government applying knowledge of an extensive body of rules and procedures to perform interrelated and nonstandard legal support work. This type of work includes 1) processing motions, petitions and other legal documents; 2) responding to written, telephonic, electronic, and personal inquiries regarding legal proceedings and records; 3) assist in the preparation of legal case file materials; and 4) maintaining and analyzing statistical data. GS-7: Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 level in the Federal government applying knowledge of legal regulations, techniques, and procedures to perform a variety of legal assistance work. This type of work includes 1) scheduling hearings, meetings and engagements; 2) examining case files to determine sufficiency of documentation and to identify material that may be pertinent to issues or cases; 3) conducting research for case information through records, reference and historical material; 4) assisting in retiring files; and 5) generating, modifying, and interpreting computer-generated reports. GS-8: Must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal government applying knowledge of legal regulations, techniques, and procedures to perform a variety of legal assistance work. This type of work includes 1) applying comprehensive legal regulations, techniques, and procedures to perform assistance work requiring extensive searches of records, reference or historical material and comparisons with complex, voluminous or broadly written criteria; 2) examining and processing charging documents which are voluminous and complex in format; 3) reviewing incoming documents/files and determining the need to create or reassemble a Record of Proceeding (ROP) file and process a variety of legal documents; and 4) conducting extensive searches for case information applying comprehensive legal regulations, specialized techniques, and procedures. Office Automation Proficiency Requirement: Must have experience using office automation systems, such as word processing software or personal computers AND can type 40 words or more per minute with three or fewer errors in a five-minute sample. 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. 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. SDL2017
