Legal Assistant (Office Automation)

Summary

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Duties

• If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for Civil Division and Social Security appeals and provide the spectrum of technical legal assistance work. Typical work assignments will include: Acting as liaison with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Clerk's Office and Operations Help Desk. Maintaining the master appellate calendar for Civil and Social Security Appeals. Having familiarity with the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure and Ninth Circuit Rules relating to civil appeals to ensure that all pleadings, excerpts of record, and correspondence filed in the Ninth Circuit comply with all applicable rules. Examining, preparing and processing a variety of technical legal documents, including complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, subpoenas, and libels. Providing assistance to attorneys in trial preparation. Assembling and organizing files and records material for disposition or transfer to records depository. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Qualifications

To be qualified, you must type at least 40 words per minute based on a 5 minute sample with three or fewer errors. (A typing test may later be required.) GS-8: To be eligible at the GS-8 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as performing the following types of duties: providing assistant to attorneys by preparing and processing complaints, motions, subpoenas, orders, or other hearing and/or trial documents and requirements relating to civil appellate cases and social security appeals to make substantive determinations; obtaining needed information from files, law enforcement agencies, or other sources; completing legal documents in conformance with rules governing their style and format; conducting factual and legal research in legal and non-legal databases; using automated software to produce legal related reports and documents; .

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/18/2026 the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: 1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. 2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. 3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on 09/18/2026. 4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification. 5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements) 6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13058842To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/ Reasonable Accommodation 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 reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations 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. 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 Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire