Paralegal Specialist - Environmental Enforcement Section

Paralegal Specialist - Environmental Enforcement Section; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 68,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

Department of Justice seeks a Paralegal Specialist to support Environmental Enforcement Section attorneys in affirmative civil litigation. Responsibilities include research in Westlaw, PACER, and Lexis, document management, and trial support.

The role involves organizing and indexing records, preparing non-legal memoranda, and coordinating with attorneys on filings using PACER and LexisNexis systems. Compliance with federal employment requirements is required.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience at GS-5 level providing litigation support or equivalent.
• Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement or higher; or graduate education; or equivalent combination.
• Experience with automated legal databases to verify citations and organize case materials.

Responsibilities

• Perform research in databases (Westlaw, PACER, Lexis) and create/cite checks per Bluebook; draft and edit briefs and memos.
• Manage and organize litigation databases and case materials.
• Prepare exhibits, organize trial logistics, and assist with hearings/trials as needed.
• Coordinate filing deadlines and PACER/LEXIS-NEXIS system use for court filings.
• Assist attorneys with discovery, including e-discovery tasks.

Skills

Legal research

Litigation support

Document management

Citation checks

Education

Bachelor's degree

Superior Academic Achievement

Graduate education / LL.B or J.D.

Tools

Westlaw

PACER

LexisNexis

Job description

Summary

The Environmental Enforcement Section is responsible for bringing civil judicial actions under federal laws enacted to protect public health and the environment from pollution. Our attorneys pursue enforcement actions that result in significant benefits for public health, from reducing air pollution to cleaning up contaminated lands and waterways. The incumbent will provide paralegal support to the Section's attorneys in all aspects of affirmative civil litigation.

Duties

One or more positions to be filled in either Denver, CO or Washington, DC. Referrals will be based on the following cut-off dates for receipt of applications:

• October 12, 2026
• October 26, 2026
• November 9, 2026

This announcement may be amended to include additional cut-off dates or may close early once all vacancies are filled.

As a Paralegal Specialist, typical work assignments may include the following:

• Performing research in various databases including Westlaw, PACER and Lexis; performing cite checks pursuant to The Bluebook, compiling legislative histories; proofreading and editing legal briefs and memoranda prior to filing in court; and ensuring conformance of documents to applicable court rules.
• Conducting document management, including creating and maintaining litigation databases.
• Organizing and writing synopses of factual materials; summarizing depositions; preparing, organizing, and indexing administrative records; and preparing non-legal memoranda.
• Providing assistance at hearings and/or trials, for example, preparing exhibits and coordinating travel and trial logistics.
• Performing case docketing; maintaining filing deadline calendar and coordinating with attorneys on each court filing; and preparing and assisting with filing all documents using PACER (ECF) and LEXIS-NEXIS (CourtLink) systems
• Supporting attorneys and case teams in their efforts to identify and collect information for discovery, including e-discovery, purposes.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• You must complete a background investigation to include drug testing.
• Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
• You must complete or have completed a one-year probationary period.
• You must maintain a bank account for direct deposit of salary.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position at GS-7, you must have one of the following:

A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-5 Federal grade level providing litigation support in a legal environment. Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to, using litigation software to identify documents potentially relevant to litigation cases or maintaining legal databases used to track the production and receipt of documents, or

B. A bachelor's degree and Superior Academic Achievement (See below),

C. One full year of graduate level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work, or

D. A combination of education and specialized experience described above, that together meet 100% of the qualification requirements for this position.

Superior Academic Achievement: This provision applies to persons who have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university as evidenced by one of three methods described below (within a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled).

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.
2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of: a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their 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. Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.
3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies.

To qualify for this position at GS-9, you must have one of the following:

A. At least one year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-7 Federal grade level or above utilizing automated legal databases to verify legal citations and statutory references; analyzing and organizing factual, legal, and archival records; providing assistance to attorneys in preparation for hearings and/or trials; and creating and maintaining litigation databases for management of case materials; or

B. A master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education, or LL.B or J.D. Such education demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of a Paralegal Specialist; or

C. A combination of graduate education and experience described above that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. (Only graduate education in excess of the first full year may be used in this calculation).

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 skill and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Time in Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements (one year at the next lower grade) by the closing date of announcement.

YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions.

Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.

To preview questions, please click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13064148

The possible salary range for Denver, CO.:

• GS-7 ($56,262 - $73,142)
• GS-9 ($68,819 - $89,470)

The possible salary range for Washington D.C.:

• GS-7 ($57,736 - $75,059)
• GS-9 ($70,623 - $91,815)

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see www.ed.gov

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

Career Transition Programs: The Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in DOJ with selection priority over other DOJ candidates for competitive service vacancies. If you have received written notification of your eligibility for consideration under CTAP, you may receive special priority consideration for this position if you are well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria.

Benefits: DOJ offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. General Employment Information:

1. DOJ EEO STATEMENT: Find our EEO statement online at: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/page/file/1394116/dl?inline
2. SELECTIVE SERVICE: Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

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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.

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