Paralegal Specialist

Summary

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) serves as legal advisor to the CFTC's Commission, the Chair, the Executive Director, and the Agency as a whole. OGC's legal advice includes, but is not limited to, areas such as Agency litigation, statutory and regulatory interpretation, rulemaking, analyses of proposed legislation, and other legal issues arising in connection with the administration and enforcement of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).

Duties

This position is located in the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Litigation Branch in Washington, DC. The Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement Branch represents the Commission in the U.S. District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, Courts of Appeals, and various administrative bodies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Merit Systems Protection Board, and Federal Service Impasses Panel. As a Paralegal Specialist, the incumbent is primarily responsible for assisting attorneys in the Litigation, Adjudication, and Enforcement Branch. Typical duties include: Assists attorneys in the preparation of court filings by verifying and checking legal citations (cite-checking) and legal references in prepared legal documents and preparing tables of contents and authorities. Proofreads briefs, pleadings, memoranda, opinions and other documents; drafts legal instruments such as certificates of service, transmittal letters and cover memoranda. Contracts with outside vendors for copying and binding of legal briefs and appendices. Arranges timely delivery of legal documents to courts and tribunals. Utilizes data management and litigation support systems (i.e. Practice Manager, Relativity, Case Map, Pacer, and Lexis and Westlaw) to locate, organize and categorize exhibits, appendices, administrative records and other documents as needed for court filings. Utilizes OGC's Elaw case management system to review, store, index, and search electronic copies of documents obtained in the course of investigations and litigation. Maintains case files and corrects file deficiencies or discrepancies. Independently reviews case files maintained in hard copy to determine which files are eligible to be retired to off-side document storage area; prepares files; and supervises the preparation of files for retirement to off-site storage facilities. Performs legal research or retrieval of legislative history, precedent cases, decisions, and opinions, regulations, policies, procedures, case law, Internet sites, etc., to provide assistance to staff attorneys in the development of legal matters. Ensures that records are accurate, and readily available for staff to use during their investigations and litigation. As needed and available, assists other units of OGC by researching and analyzing legal issues; assuring accuracy and consistency in legal documents prepared by the office, cite checking and proofreading briefs, pleadings, memoranda, opinions and other documents; drafting legal instruments such as certificates of service, transmittal letters and cover memoranda. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

CT-11 Level: To qualify for the CT-11 level you must you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized experience is defined that through which one has gained experience: Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the CT/GS-09 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes all of the following: Examining and processing a variety of documents, including legal documents, and using a variety of electronic or manual filing systems to acquire and store information. Conducting research under attorney supervision, analysis and evaluation of data in response to complex or sensitive requests; Assists attorneys with motion filing, preparation of exhibits, attachments to motions, and production of documents in litigation matters, including legal cite-checking. OR Substitution of education for experience: The experience requirements for the CT-11 above may be met by the successful completion of a PH.D. or equivalent graduate degree, OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Paralegal Specialist. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be used to meet the qualification requirement at CT-11.

Education

Please refer to the OPM Position Classification Standard for Paralegal Specialist Series, GS-0950 for the specific Education/Experience requirements for this position. To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. You must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions that are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criterion, see www.ed.gov. 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 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html