Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to individuals who received a qualifying associate, bachelors, master's, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the past two years (or longer for certain veterans).

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Division represents the United States, its departments and agencies, Members of Congress, Cabinet Officers, and other federal employees in any civil or criminal matter within its scope of responsibility. The Civil Division's responsibilities include ensuring the Federal Government speaks with one voice in its view of the law; preserving the intent of Congress; advancing the credibility of the government before the courts; and protecting the U.S. Treasury.

There are multiple vacancies located within Civil Division. Please find the link below to learn more about the organizations within Civil Division, click the hyperlink: https://www.justice.gov/civil

The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who recently graduated within the last 2 years from qualifying educational institutions or programs. After program completion, recent graduates may be non-competitively converted to a permanent position (or in some limited circumstances, a term appointment lasting 1-4 years). However, conversions are not mandatory or guaranteed.

As a Recent Grad Paralegal Specialist GS- 0950-7/9, your typical work assignments may include the following:

GS-0950-07 Duties:
-Performs basic and legal research into assigned cases. Reviews and analyzes prior case material to become familiar with questions under issue. Works with attorneys to collect and format critical record materials.

-Verifies citations and legal references on prepared legal documents and ensures that formats meet applicable federal, state, and local court rules.

-Conducts basic and legal research for assigned cases. Reviews and analyzes prior case materials to become familiar with questions under consideration. Uses electronic databases and other electronic means to perform various litigation support tasks, including organizing, indexing, and summarizing documents, files, and other material. Reviews electronically recorded information to ensure accuracy upon closing a case file.

-Assists attorneys in compiling legislative history materials. Prepares appendices or record excerpts for all court filings, organizing and numbering the documents, preparing tables of contents and authorities, and arranging for copying of the filings and service on opposing counsel.

-Assists in generating needed reports and information requests about legal cases. Assists in sorting, recording, indexing, filing, and distributing materials to the appropriate person or organization.

GS-0950-09 duties:
-Assists attorneys in drafting pleadings, motions, briefs, subpoenas, and other papers in cases handled by the Office/Branch.

-Participates in pre-trial witness conferences in order to note additional matters to investigate prior to trial. Analyzes assigned documents for supportive evidence, organizing and writing synopses for use of Office/Branch attorneys.

-Interfaces with the federal courts and client agencies to gather important information in support of the assigned attorney's defense of emergency and other litigation.

-Handles correspondence between client agencies, U.S. Attorneys' Offices, and opposing counsel, performing primary and legal research when required.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• You must successfully pass a security/background investigation and drug screening.
• You may be required to complete a two-year trial/probationary period.
• Additional selections may be made from this announcement, at any time, if openings occur in other offices within the advertised offices or other offices within the Civil Division.
• You must sign a pathways agreement.
• 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.
• Under Pathways Recent Graduate regulations, you are eligible only if you have graduated from an academic program of study or earned your degree within the last two years.
• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Paralegal Specialist (Recent Graduate), at GS-0950-7/9, you must meet the basic qualification requirements listed below AND [Insert experience, if applicable]

Basic Requirement: To be eligible, applicants must apply within two years of degree or certificate completion (except for veterans precluded from doing so due to their military service obligation, who have up to six years after degree completion to apply). For additional information on the Recent Graduates Pathways Program, please click here.

NOTE: You must submit transcripts or official documentation, to verify Recent Graduate Program eligibility. Transcripts MUST reflect the degree/ certificate program and the degree conferred date (official transcripts are required upon selection). If you are graduating in May, please inlcude that information on your resume or in your cover letter if you chose to do one. Official transcripts will be required prior to appointment for all selectees.

In addition to the eligibility requirements for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program, you must also meet the following qualifications requirements in order to qualify for the Paralegal Specialist.

To qualify for the GS-07 position, you must meet one of following minimum qualification requirements:

• Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position, conducting research, writing, organizing, and drafting documents related to legal services.
• One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. OR Superior Academic Achievement: Successful completion of all the requirements for a bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:(1) Class Standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses; OR (2) Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.) - Applicants must have a grade-point average of either (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.; OR (3) Honor Society Membership - Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org/).
• Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.

• Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service or comparable pay band system related to the work of this position: assisting senior staff attorneys in preparing pleadings or briefs, performing tasks analyzing factual data, preparing exhibits, preparing statements of case, and performing advanced research into factual aspects of assigned cases.
• Have a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or successfully completed at least 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR received an LL.B or J.D.
• Have a combination of graduate education and experience, as described above that meets 100% of the requirements. Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 36. Add the two percentages.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the job opportunity announcement closes (at 11:59 pm ET on01/29/2026), a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted, the information will be compared against your responses to the application questionnaire to determine your eligibility for Federal employment, and then whether you are qualified for this particular position.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under using the Rule of Many method under 5 CFR § 332.402. All applicants tied at the score of 85 will be referred. We will provide the selecting official with a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, we will expand the group in accordance with our pre-announced supplement strategy and OPM policy.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Research
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork