The Paralegal Specialist position is located in the Probate Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court and reports to the Probate Division Self-Help Center Program Manager. The incumbent will assist the public with the opening or administration of small estate or large estate cases, the filing of adult guardianship proceedings, and will work to promote a greater understanding of the Probate process for people who choose to represent themselves.
Summary
The Paralegal Specialist position is located in the Probate Division of the District of Columbia Superior Court and reports to the Probate Division Self-Help Center Program Manager. The incumbent will assist the public with the opening or administration of small estate or large estate cases, the filing of adult guardianship proceedings, and will work to promote a greater understanding of the Probate process for people who choose to represent themselves.
United States Citizens or individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residency or authorized by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service to work in the United States.
Gathers and assembles statistical data on the Self-Help Center for review by the Branch Manager.
Participates in the design and development of Self-Help Center materials including, road maps, interviews, case triage, forms, pamphlets, and brochures.
Provides in-person customer service helping the public prepare filings, complete a road map, capture a family tree, and generate a distribution plan.
Refers the public to resources outside the Self-Help Center (and outside Probate) when needed and as available.
Provides customer service by answering telephone calls, engaging with court users via live chat, and responds to emails.
Conducts a triage screening of the public seeking services of the Self-Help Center, ensuring the Self-Help Center appropriately provides the services required.
Reviews pleadings before filing for completeness and readiness for court.
Provides administrative and technical assistance and procedural information to court personnel, judicial officers, and the general public.
Provides administrative support to the Branch Manager and performs legal research.
A probationary period of one (1) year must be successfully completed.
Background and security investigation are required.
To qualify for this position, you must submit the following:
Resume
Completed Vacancy Questionnaire
Documentation /Proof of Education (e.g. copy of college transcript or degree)
Copy of Paralegal certificate (if applicable)
List of three (3) professional references
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications: Graduation from an accredited university or college with a Bachelor’s degree in Paralegal Studies or related field, or a certificate of completion from a paralegal studies program, plus at least one (1) year of experience working in a public office, court or legal environment.
Research and writing skills are required.
Interpersonal and communication skills needed to successfully interact with the public, the judiciary, and other court personnel.
The incumbent should be an enthusiastic and engaged professional who enjoys working with a diverse group of Court personnel and customers and lives the DC Courts’ values of Accountability, Excellence, Fairness, Integrity, Respect, and Transparency.
Please note that authorization for the release of your adult criminal record revealing any convictions and forfeitures, and any criminal cases currently pending before the courts are required. If you are selected for the position, a criminal history records check will be conducted.
Education
To qualify based on education, upload a copy of your college transcript or degree. The transcript must show the name of the college or university, your name, list of courses with credit hours, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking.
Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for District of Columbia Courts employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.
Foreign Education: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must upload a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript at time of application to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/
Additional information
This job is being filled by an alternative hiring process and is not in the competitive Federal civil service.
Please note there is a mandatory one year probationary period for all new court employees.
All required information must be received by the vacancy announcement closing date.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
This is not a federal position.
The District of Columbia Courts is an independent agency of the District of Columbia Government and is not under the authority of the City Mayor or the D. C. Council. DC Courts' appropriation comes directly from Congress. All DC Courts non-judicial employees receive federal benefits for the following programs: Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Health Insurance and Workers Compensation.
Please click on the following for more information about these benefits:
Annual Leave: New full-time employees earn four (4) hours of annual leave biweekly. After three years of service this increases to six (6)hours biweekly, and at 15 years it increases to eight(8)hours biweekly. Most military, federal and District of Columbia government service counts toward the time required to go into the next higher annual leave category. Employees can carry over no more than 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year.
Sick Leave is used for personal medical needs, care of a family member, or adoption related purposes. Full-time employees earn four(4)hours of sick leave biweekly. This leave can be accrued without limit.
In addition to the federal health plans, the DC Courts offer employees supplemental vision and dental plans as well as a commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Upon receipt of your complete application package, a review of your application will be made to ensure that you meet the minimum qualification requirements. Answers submitted in the questionnaire must be supported on your resume.
Your resume must reflect the relevant experience and that you meet the minimum qualifications or your application will not be considered.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
This is not a federal position.
The District of Columbia Courts is an independent agency of the District of Columbia Government and is not under the authority of the City Mayor or the D. C. Council. DC Courts' appropriation comes directly from Congress. All DC Courts non-judicial employees receive federal benefits for the following programs: Life Insurance, Retirement Benefits, Health Insurance and Workers Compensation.
Please click on the following for more information about these benefits:
Annual Leave: New full-time employees earn four (4) hours of annual leave biweekly. After three years of service this increases to six (6)hours biweekly, and at 15 years it increases to eight(8)hours biweekly. Most military, federal and District of Columbia government service counts toward the time required to go into the next higher annual leave category. Employees can carry over no more than 240 hours of annual leave into the next leave year.
Sick Leave is used for personal medical needs, care of a family member, or adoption related purposes. Full-time employees earn four(4)hours of sick leave biweekly. This leave can be accrued without limit.
In addition to the federal health plans, the DC Courts offer employees supplemental vision and dental plans as well as a commuter transit benefit subsidy, for a maximum of $150 a month. There are 26 pay periods in the year.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the vacancy questionnaire. Afterward, click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
District of Columbia Courts
Moultrie Building
500 Indiana Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
United States
Next steps
Once your completed application is received, the qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. If a writing test or other testing is required, qualified candidates will be notified of testing dates and times via e-mail. All applicants will be notified of the final outcome.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the vacancy questionnaire. Afterward, click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.
District of Columbia Courts
Moultrie Building
500 Indiana Avenue, NW
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
United States
Next steps
Once your completed application is received, the qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. If a writing test or other testing is required, qualified candidates will be notified of testing dates and times via e-mail. All applicants will be notified of the final outcome.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
