Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support)

Summary

This announcement is open to current or former federal employees and specific hiring authorities.

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that provides litigation support through legal automation tools and system capabilities to assist with decision-making and trial preparation. Typical duties include: Works with Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs), investigators, federal agents and support staffs to determine the most effective strategy to meet litigation needs. Identifies software packages such as: databases, spreadsheets and word processing applications based on the effectiveness of (1) presenting complex and voluminous evidence, (2) producing graphic demonstrative evidence, and (3) meeting individual user needs. Assists and/or trains attorneys and legal support staff in organizing voluminous case information for efficient retrieval through automated means such as scanning, indexing and controlling of documents into a data base. Assures documents are organized for efficient automated storage and retrieval by preparing appropriate indices, defining data file search criteria and indexing/coding fields. Monitors the progress of computer data entry effort. Prepares computerized trial presentation programs. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support), at GS-0901-7/9/11, you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below. GS-7: To be eligible at the GS-7 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. Specialized experience is defined as assisting with organizing case information; assisting attorneys in preparing and editing a variety of legal documents; assisting with discovery, hearing, or trial preparation by performing duties such as compiling trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling witness and exhibit lists. Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice): One full year of graduate education OR a Bachelors degree with Superior Academic Achievement: SAA is defined as (1) cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last 2 years of undergraduate study; (2) GPA of 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years; (3) Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision; or (4) Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies). Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year. GS-9: To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience preparing and organizing case information; preparing discovery productions, including scanning and coding documents; assisting attorneys in preparing for court such as preparing exhibits; and assisting in the use of technology to organize digital evidence. Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B or JD); OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year. GS-11: To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience. Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level. Specialized experience is defined as providing technical assistance to litigation teams on legal automation requirements and systems capabilities to facilitate litigation decisions, trial presentation; developing and applying a basic knowledge of Federal Criminal and Civil procedures, court requirements, and district practices to implement computer applications needed for criminal and civil cases; performing general information system analysis and development in support of District litigation support activities for assigned cases; and assisting with the organization, preparation, delivery, and tracking of discovery in cases involving large volumes of documentary and/or digital evidence. Education: One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice, Law): 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. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position. Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year. You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the 09/14/2026 of this announcement. Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the 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 09/14/2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

Evaluations

In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. Additionally, we will review your supporting documents and resume to determine if you are in the "Area of Consideration" for this vacancy. Government-Wide Merit Promotion vacancies may only accept applications from a limited audience, pay careful attention to the "Who May Apply" and the "Hiring Paths" information. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility. 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 In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. BASIS OF FINAL RATING: DOJ's Merit Promotion Procedures will be used to evaluate candidates. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13057019.

Benefits

A recruitment or relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications and/or difficulty in filling the position.

How to apply To apply for this position, you must complete the online application questionnaire and submit your supporting documentation. Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/14/2026 to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on 09/14/2026. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements) Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account. Need Help? If you need help with USAJOBs or the application process, please see the USAJOBS Help or Application Manager Online Help websites which includes information on managing your account, creating an application, uploading documents, etc. Reasonable Accommodation: To request reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please contact Amy O'Neal at Amy.Oneal@usdoj.gov or (813)-274-6045 for assistance.

Other information Additional selections may be made from this announcement. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable): As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 1) your performance and conduct; 2) the needs and interests of the agency; 3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and 4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline. DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov. Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to Note: In accordance with 5 U.S. Code § 9202(c) and 5 C.F.R § 920.201(b) certain positions are exempt from the provisions of the Fair Chance Act.