The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Department of Justice responsible for overseeing the administration of bankruptcy cases and private trustees under 28 U.S.C. § 586 and 11 U.S.C. § 101, et seq. We are a national program with broad administrative, regulatory, and litigation/enforcement authorities whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders-debtors, creditors, and the public.

Duties

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service. This position provides administrative and legal support services in the area of bankruptcy including title 11, United States Code (U.S.C.), and specifically, Chapter 7 (Liquidation), Chapter 13, and/or Chapter 11 (Reorganization). A Paralegal Specialist performs duties such as, but not limited to: Perform a variety of paralegal support assignments relating to bankruptcy cases filed under title 11, U.S.C. Assignments require significant specialized knowledge in bankruptcy law; Provide legal assistance and technical work requiring specialized knowledge of processes, procedures, and practices in connection with Chapter 7, 11, and 13 cases; Perform work involving the form, content, and processing of legal documents and the procedures in storing and retrieving case information; Provide trial and deposition support, including the organizing and creation of exhibits; Perform detailed legal research, including legislative history; Conduct factual research related to public corporations and corporate grievances. Verify citations and legal references. Format, edit, and proofread documents; Review bankruptcy petitions, schedules, and statements to identify fraud or abuse; Draft pleadings in cases that follow established precedents and participate in case review meetings; Monitor the progress of pending cases and initiate action to ensure that legal pleadings, forms, reports, correspondence, and other documents are prepared; Draft simple motions and complaints objecting to discharge; Perform administrative duties supporting attorneys and auditors by maintaining and organizing multiple case-management systems; and, Perform administrative duties as needed for the field office or Region. ****This is a Temporary Appointment into the Competitive Service not to exceed 9 months using the OPM authorized placement of certain US Trustees positions associated with bankruptcy proceedings to be placed in Schedule B of the Competitive Service and provided a path to temporarily appoint individuals without bankruptcy knowledge and convert them after gaining bankruptcy knowledge to a permanent excepted service position. This opportunity may lead to a conversion to a permanent Excepted Service appointment after 6 months experience gaining bankruptcy knowledge. Conversion is not implied nor guaranteed.****

Requirements

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a one-year probationary or trial period.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• Additional selections may be made from this announcement, at any time, if openings occur in other offices serviced by Justice Management Division, HR Operations.
• Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Paralegal Specialist, (GS-0950-9/11), you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below AND possess the required specialized experience specific to the series and grade you are applying to. To Qualify for the Paralegal Specialist GS-0950-9, you must have at least one of the following: Your resume must demonstrate one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level or pay band in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector performing legal research; providing support in the preparation of legal correspondence (e.g., motions, routine pleadings, letters, etc.); and, performing a variety of administrative duties in support of the assigned attorneys or other legal staff. OR Education: A master's (or equivalent graduate degree such as a L.L.B/J.D.) or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application. To Qualify for the Paralegal Specialist GS-0950-11, you must have at least one of the following: Your resume must demonstrate one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector monitoring the progress of pending cases and initiating action to ensure that legal pleadings, forms, reports, correspondences, and other documents are prepared and submitted within established timelines; reviewing and collecting documentary evidence and arranging case files for use in a variety of legal proceedings. OR Education: A 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. OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application. You MUST meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/10/2024. Your resume must support your responses to the questionnaire and 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 (09/10/2024) to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application. ***Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.***

Education

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be creditable toward your qualifications. Therefore, you should provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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 an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.

For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation.

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Contacts

• Address Executive Office for US Trustees JMD Human Resources 2 Constitution Square 145 N Street NE Washington, DC 20530 US
• Name: Weston Sperbeck
• Email: [email protected]