This position is located in the Defense Legal Services Agency, Office of Military Commissions, Military Commissions Defense Organization (MCDO). The General Counsel is the principal legal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on, and has final authority and responsibility for, legal policy and determinations and the delivery of legal services within DoD and its components. This position serves as Paralegal Specialist on a legal defense team within the Military Commissions Defense Organization.

Duties

Incumbent typical work assignments may include the following: Receives, reviews, inventories, and logs incoming/outgoing discovery. Assists defense team in filing legal documents in court and ensure that materials are delivered to the court, opposing counsel, and any other interested, relevant, and required third party. Prepares written summaries of research, and drafts motions. Assists defense team with maintaining and updating the team's electronic library, including the preservation of SharePoint files in an organized, up-to-date, and efficient manner. Assists team with any and all administrative matters, including arranging travel logistics, processing travel vouchers and invoices, court hearing preparation, preparing and transmitting client mail, and general assurance of seamless team operation.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship is required
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/Home/Registration)
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment
• Required to participate in the direct deposit program
• This position is subject to pre-employment and random drug testing
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret Clearance with access to Special Compartmentalized Information (TS/SCI) security clearance
• Due to the requirements of this position, TDY to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be required up to 50 percent of the time

Qualifications

For qualifications determinations, it is recommended that applicants include their months and hours worked per week for each employment listed on their resume. If a determination is not able to be made about the length of your creditable experience for qualification requirements, you will be removed from consideration. Read more about what should I include in my federal resume? at https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/ You may qualify at the GS-11 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates: Providing paralegal support for hearings and trials; Compiling orders, rulings, and trial records for use in court; and, Preparing legal documents such as rulings, orders, correspondence, and other documents as required. OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts for verification.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. You may qualify at the GS-12 level, if you fulfill the following qualification requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (experience may have been gained in the private sector) that demonstrates: Providing paralegal support for hearings and trials; Drafting legal documents such as legal briefs, rulings, orders, correspondence, and other documents as required; And Researching statutory, regulatory, court and/or administrative precedents, testimony, and other legal opinions or documentary materials. 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. All qualifications and education requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement and clearly documented in your resume.

Education

ARE YOU USING YOUR EDUCATION TO QUALIFY AT THE GS-11 LEVEL? You MUST provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

PASS/FAIL COURSES: If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

GRADUATE EDUCATION: One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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 an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Contacts

• Address Defense Legal Services Agency Human Resources Directorate 4800 Mark Center Drive Alexandria, VA 22350 US
• Name: Washington HQ Services
• Email: [email protected]