Clarification from the agency

1. All current Washington National Guard T5 employees (internal)

A GS-0950-11, PARALEGAL SPECIALIST:

• Advises the Staff Judge Advocate on all command issues on behalf of command staff, researching interpretation of federal/state statutes and regulations, and ensuring that legal guidance and support is furnished in a timely manner. Advises Wing leadership on options, which are legally permissible, or desirable, after consultation with the SJA. Prepares, researches, and drafts written legal opinions after SJA review with regard to applicable laws, regulations, instructions, directives, and policies in the area of Administrative Law including, but not limited to: Reports of Survey; Line of Duty Determinations; formal and informal investigations and commander inquiries; legal sufficiency reviews; Inspector General and Equal Employment Opportunity investigations; fiscal law; unfavorable personnel actions; standards of conduct; family advocacy; and public relations. Supports and assist with CDI investigations, reports and briefings. Conducts classes and training for commanders and unit members. Represents the SJA and Wing Commander on legal committees, working groups, and inter-disciplinary teams as well as legal conferences and meetings
• Provides legal assistance on a non-interference basis to members of the ANG and their dependents as authorized by AFI 51-504, CNGBI, NGR, and other AF/JA guidance. In line with professional responsibility standards, legal assistance with respect to the following legal matters may be provided to eligible beneficiaries with the supervision of the SJA, or draft opinions/documents for the SJA to execute thereof: wills, powers of attorney, living wills and health care directives, notary services, dependent care plans, casualty affairs (death incident to the performance of military duty), employment problems arising from the performance of military duty and subject to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) or a similar state statute, land-lord tenant problems specifically related to performance of military duty, tax problems specifically related to performance of military duty, matters arising from the performance of military duty and subject to the Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA), or a similar state statute, providing Special Victim's Counsel (SVC) services, or area defense counsel services, when necessary. Provides deployment legal assistance to ensure personal legal readiness of military members; participates in deployment readiness exercises, mobility lines, and Yellow Ribbon events. Prepares preventative law articles and products for publication and distribution and delivers preventative law briefings. Maintains currency in applicable law and completes education and training requirements, as detailed in AFI 51-504, CNGBI, NGR, and other AF/JA guidance.
• Provides research, analysis, guidance, and support to administer courts-martial, non-judicial punishment, administrative boards and other legal actions and administrative processes. Reviews procedures, timing criteria and documents relative to the administration of justice under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and associated state/territory code. Performs research to identify factual and legal issues to uncover relevant information for summaries of precedent cases, interviews, testimony, depositions, and related case material for use by the attorneys. Performs research and preparation of notes and memoranda regarding allegations and possible charges, maintains logs and files, and files motions. Prepares and files charge sheets, disposition sheets, and other records. Maintains transcript files and exhibits. Provides assistance to serviced units concerning the administrative preparation, coordination, and implementation of documents regarding military justice.
• Reviews changes in regulations on the Freedom of Information Act & updates & advises other legal personnel & field staff of changes. Consults & assists in formulation of NGB regulations regarding the release of information. Reviews Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Analyzes specific criteria & conducts required research for the information requested & coordinates with organization's functional managers for release of appropriate information. Provides summaries & rationale to the FOIA Officer to determine appropriate action for non-releasable information. Ensures necessary documents are prepared for release & assesses fees. Maintains statistics for annual reporting requirements & tracks collections for FOIA fees. Accepts complaints, summons, documents, or inquiries; identifies the type or purpose; screens for completeness; & identifies the action to be performed. As required by the action, performs preliminary investigation & gathers pertinent information, researches legal & factual issues, interviews claimant, involved parties and potential witnesses and builds case files, & recommends disposition of claim.
• Other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a trial period.
• Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• A resume and supporting documents must be submitted (see "How to Apply").
• This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance of the position.
• This position is covered by the Domestic Violence Misdemeanor Amendment (30 Sep 96) of the Gun Control Act (Lautenberg Amendment) of 1968. An individual convicted of a qualifying crime of domestic violence may not perform the duties of this position.
• Position requires ability to establish effective professional working relationships with coworkers and customers, contributing to a cooperative working environment and successful accomplishment of the mission.
• May occasionally be required to work other than normal duty hours; overtime may be required.
• Duties and responsibilities may significantly impact the environment. You are responsible to maintain awareness of your environmental responsibilities as dictated by legal and regulatory requirements, your organization, and its changing mission.

Qualifications

GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
Experience, education or training that demonstrates the ability to analyze the legal impact of legislative developments and administrate and judicial decisions, opinions, rulings and determinations on agency programs; conduct research for the preparation of legal opinions on matters of interest to the agency. Practical knowledge and use of basic legal principles and concepts to interpret and apply or explain to others the application of a body of law, regulations, precedents, and practices covering one or more recurring types of legal actions encountered in an agency.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
Must have at least 36 months experience or 1-year specialized experience, education, or training equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the formal and informal rules of evidence and skill necessary to evaluate the adequacy and/or admissibility of evidence, to request additional data or further investigation, when needed, or to develop narrative or graphic exhibits to support specified legal arguments and coordinate actions with other federal agencies or state and local jurisdictions that have closely related responsibilities.

***Note: If this vacancy announcement indicates Specialized Experience, "1 year equivalent to at least next lower grade level", you must provide your last SF 50, if you are a current or former Federal Employee and you want to be considered under this provision.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. Your responses must be supported by your application package or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. You may also be excluded from consideration if you indicate that you are unwilling to accept the lower grade and determination is made that you are not qualified at the higher grade. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.


Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to position descriptions, as well as the general and specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experiences; however, resumes or applications received in verbatim will not be considered. In your resume you will need to address the general and specialized experience listed above. Please use as much detail as needed, giving dates (months and years) of the experience, position title and how the experience was gained. This information is needed to determine if you are qualified for the position.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics). NOTE: You do not have to respond to the KSA's separately but your resume should contain sufficient information to demonstrate possession of the KSA's.

• Knowledge of the various titles of Federal law and state/territory codes governing and significant current national and local developments impacting National Guard programs and missions.
• Knowledge of legal reference sources including statutes, codes, subject specific directives, regulations, manuals and other issuances (i.e., types of orders and there sources); court and administrative appellate decisions and nuances sufficient to ascertain legislative history and intent, precedent cases, decisions and opinions relevant to current case work.
• Knowledge of document control and security measures to insure no untimely or inappropriate release of investigative information occur jeopardizing pending prosecution and/or defense actions or the physical wellbeing of participants, their counsel, witnesses, etc.
• Knowledge of legal documents and criminal, civil or military justice procedures sufficient to ensure timely and accurate initiation of, or response to legal documents and submissions and routing.
• Knowledge of, and skill to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to provide assistance to customers in the preparation of legal documents, or to assist attorneys by providing written summaries of analyses to support specific legal issues.