Paralegal

To qualify at the GS-11 grade level, your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the federal sector. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped you with the ability, skill, and knowledge to successfully perform the duties of this position and is typically in or related to this line of work. Examples of specialized experience include performing the following types of tasks on a regular basis.

General knowledge of the areas of law covered by legal assistance, including estate planning, domestic relations, landlord-tenant, consumer, general civil litigation, misdemeanor criminal, and immigration sufficient to schedule attorney appointments appropriately or guide individuals to an appropriate resource. Knowledge of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the federal laws and Coast Guard regulations governing legal assistance Skill in fact-finding, problem analysis and problem solving.

Knowledge of interviewing techniques to quickly determine what type of legal issues individuals have in order to refer them to the appropriate office. NOTE: All experience statements (i.e., duties, specialized experience, or related applicable assessment) copied from this announcement and pasted into your resume will not be considered as a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. NOTE: Education cannot be substituted for experience at this grade level.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

You will serve as a Paralegal and be responsible for the legal, administrative and clerical support required by the Chief of Legal Assistance (Chief of LA) and other attorneys providing legal assistance in the USCG headquarters office. Being a Coast Guard civilian makes you a valuable member of the Coast Guard team. Typical work assignments include: Conducting legal research on federal and State law concerning legal assistance issues using various online resources such as Westlaw and Lexis.

Thoroughly prepare documents critical to the job such as correspondence, estate plans, powers of attorney, and memoranda. Provide notary services. Manages client and customer interactions by evaluating needs, communicating available services and information, addressing problems, and maintaining responsive, high-quality customer service. Manage the schedule for the office and ensures all clients are seen by an attorney in a reasonable amount of time.

Adapting to varying situations, and working effectively under pressure, and handle sensitive information with confidentiality. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Reasonable Accommodation Information