Western District of Washington (DOJ)
Legal Assistant (Office Automation)
Western District of Washington (DOJ), Seattle, Washington, us, 98127
Summary
For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys’ Offices, visit justice.gov/usao. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under
25-WAW-12806088-MS . Overview
Help Accepting applications Open & closing dates: 09/29/2025 to 10/10/2025 Duties
If selected, you will serve as a Legal Assistant (Office Automation) for the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Western District of Washington. At the full performance level, you will be responsible for directly and independently supporting Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) by providing a wide variety of legal assistance and office support services. Duties include: Maintaining attorney calendars; tracking filing, deadlines, hearings, and trial dates, and scheduling conference rooms and travel; Proofreading and cite checking legal briefs, memoranda, and other legal documents; Examining, preparing and processing technical legal correspondence and documents which are characteristically voluminous and complex in format; Organizing, processing, and copying documents in accordance with requirements; Preparing and organizing evidence for production as discovery and for use in trial; Managing paper and electronic documents and evidence such as PDF files, image files, audio files, video files, bank records, forensic reports, and other file types; Conducting document searches, organizing documents, conducting first level review, and coordinating document production; Ensuring records are retained in a manner that will facilitate effective retrieval, including those in connection with potential discovery operations; Obligating funds for litigation expenses and monitoring for continued necessity; reviewing bills and invoices and submitting to budget office for payment; Administrative duties, such as receiving visitors and phone calls; processing incoming/outgoing mail and packages, monitoring supplies, and other facilities support functions. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen or National Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Qualifications
GS-5
: To be eligible at the GS-5 level, you must have: at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in Federal service;
OR
four years of education above the high school level;
OR
a combination of both specialized experience and education as explained below. Specialized experience
is defined as experience reviewing documents with legal implications for accuracy and completeness (e.g., court documents, real estate documents, contracts, insurance or benefits claims, mortgage or loan applications, tax forms, or other types of legal documents); typing and formatting correspondence and forms; maintaining file systems; and obtaining needed information from files or general reference sources. Combining Education and Experience:
Successfully completed post-high school education may be used to meet the total one year of specialized experience requirement equivalent to the GS-4 grade level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. GS-6
: To be eligible at the GS-6 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in Federal service. Specialized experience
is defined as experience reviewing legal documents such as complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, subpoenas, and libels for completeness of factual information; retrieving and assembling information for hearing and/or trial use; researching a variety of legal sources to obtain and/or verify information; and using automated software to produce legal related reports, documents, correspondence and related materials. GS-7
: To be eligible at the GS-7 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in Federal service. Specialized experience
is defined as experience providing trial support to attorneys by preparing complaints, motions, subpoenas, orders, or other hearing and/or trial documents accurately and in proper format; verifying citations and statutory references contained in legal documents; assisting with discovery, hearing or trial preparation by performing duties such as compiling trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling witness and exhibit lists; and using software applications and legal and non-legal databases to produce legal related reports and documents, conduct factual research, develop tables of contents and indices to briefs, and prepare courtroom presentations. IMPORTANT : In your resume or cover letter, please include specific details about your level of expertise and experience in the following areas: Conducting factual and legal research in legal and non-legal databases Preparing and processing legal process and correspondence Organize and preparing a large amount of documentation 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). ICTAP/CTAP
The ICTAP and CTAP sections explain selection priority for eligible displaced employees. See the announcement for details and links to eligibility information. Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at an accredited college or university. For a list of accrediting bodies, see ed.gov. Foreign education may be used if evaluated for comparability; provide English translations where required. Additional information
Recruitment incentives may be authorized if this position is difficult to fill. Relocation expenses are not authorized, but relocation incentives may be considered based on qualifications. The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package including leave, telework, health benefits, and retirement. Selective Service:
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration or exemption. See sss.gov.
Reasonable Accommodation:
Federal agencies provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. EEO Statement:
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on various bases. How to Apply Please read the entire announcement before applying. To apply, complete the online application, assessment, and submit required documents by 11:59 PM ET on 10/10/2025. The process includes: Click the Apply Online button. Answer questions and attach supporting documentation. Submit the application by the deadline. You may be asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments; you will receive instructions if applicable. Assessment information and system requirements are linked in the announcement and the USA Hire portal. Preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12806087 To update your application during the open period, log in to your USAJOBS account. Information on application status and required documents is available there. Agency contact information
Mara Montes Phone: 206-553-4200 Email: mara.montes@usdoj.gov Address: Western District of Washington, 700 Stewart St., STE 5220, Seattle, WA 98101, US Next steps
You may be instructed to access the USA Hire system to complete online assessments. Assessments must be completed within 48 hours after the close of the announcement. You may request a reasonable accommodation for the assessments. Your results may be used for future positions. Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is designed to be fair and transparent. Guidance covers criminal history inquiries, EEO, financial suitability, privacy, selective service, and other policies. Required documents
To apply, you must submit: Responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire A resume not to exceed two pages with: official position title, employer, start/end dates, hours per week, and duties performed Education and transcripts if required; foreign education evaluation if applicable Veterans’ Preference documentation if applicable CTAP/ICTAP documentation if applicable Reasonable accommodation documentation if applicable Experience may include volunteer work; include relevant information as described.
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For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys’ Offices, visit justice.gov/usao. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under
25-WAW-12806088-MS . Overview
Help Accepting applications Open & closing dates: 09/29/2025 to 10/10/2025 Duties
If selected, you will serve as a Legal Assistant (Office Automation) for the Criminal Division of the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Western District of Washington. At the full performance level, you will be responsible for directly and independently supporting Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) by providing a wide variety of legal assistance and office support services. Duties include: Maintaining attorney calendars; tracking filing, deadlines, hearings, and trial dates, and scheduling conference rooms and travel; Proofreading and cite checking legal briefs, memoranda, and other legal documents; Examining, preparing and processing technical legal correspondence and documents which are characteristically voluminous and complex in format; Organizing, processing, and copying documents in accordance with requirements; Preparing and organizing evidence for production as discovery and for use in trial; Managing paper and electronic documents and evidence such as PDF files, image files, audio files, video files, bank records, forensic reports, and other file types; Conducting document searches, organizing documents, conducting first level review, and coordinating document production; Ensuring records are retained in a manner that will facilitate effective retrieval, including those in connection with potential discovery operations; Obligating funds for litigation expenses and monitoring for continued necessity; reviewing bills and invoices and submitting to budget office for payment; Administrative duties, such as receiving visitors and phone calls; processing incoming/outgoing mail and packages, monitoring supplies, and other facilities support functions. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen or National Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Qualifications
GS-5
: To be eligible at the GS-5 level, you must have: at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-4 level in Federal service;
OR
four years of education above the high school level;
OR
a combination of both specialized experience and education as explained below. Specialized experience
is defined as experience reviewing documents with legal implications for accuracy and completeness (e.g., court documents, real estate documents, contracts, insurance or benefits claims, mortgage or loan applications, tax forms, or other types of legal documents); typing and formatting correspondence and forms; maintaining file systems; and obtaining needed information from files or general reference sources. Combining Education and Experience:
Successfully completed post-high school education may be used to meet the total one year of specialized experience requirement equivalent to the GS-4 grade level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. GS-6
: To be eligible at the GS-6 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in Federal service. Specialized experience
is defined as experience reviewing legal documents such as complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, subpoenas, and libels for completeness of factual information; retrieving and assembling information for hearing and/or trial use; researching a variety of legal sources to obtain and/or verify information; and using automated software to produce legal related reports, documents, correspondence and related materials. GS-7
: To be eligible at the GS-7 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level in Federal service. Specialized experience
is defined as experience providing trial support to attorneys by preparing complaints, motions, subpoenas, orders, or other hearing and/or trial documents accurately and in proper format; verifying citations and statutory references contained in legal documents; assisting with discovery, hearing or trial preparation by performing duties such as compiling trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling witness and exhibit lists; and using software applications and legal and non-legal databases to produce legal related reports and documents, conduct factual research, develop tables of contents and indices to briefs, and prepare courtroom presentations. IMPORTANT : In your resume or cover letter, please include specific details about your level of expertise and experience in the following areas: Conducting factual and legal research in legal and non-legal databases Preparing and processing legal process and correspondence Organize and preparing a large amount of documentation 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). ICTAP/CTAP
The ICTAP and CTAP sections explain selection priority for eligible displaced employees. See the announcement for details and links to eligibility information. Education
All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at an accredited college or university. For a list of accrediting bodies, see ed.gov. Foreign education may be used if evaluated for comparability; provide English translations where required. Additional information
Recruitment incentives may be authorized if this position is difficult to fill. Relocation expenses are not authorized, but relocation incentives may be considered based on qualifications. The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package including leave, telework, health benefits, and retirement. Selective Service:
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration or exemption. See sss.gov.
Reasonable Accommodation:
Federal agencies provide reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities. EEO Statement:
The United States government does not discriminate in employment on various bases. How to Apply Please read the entire announcement before applying. To apply, complete the online application, assessment, and submit required documents by 11:59 PM ET on 10/10/2025. The process includes: Click the Apply Online button. Answer questions and attach supporting documentation. Submit the application by the deadline. You may be asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments; you will receive instructions if applicable. Assessment information and system requirements are linked in the announcement and the USA Hire portal. Preview the Assessment Questionnaire here: apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12806087 To update your application during the open period, log in to your USAJOBS account. Information on application status and required documents is available there. Agency contact information
Mara Montes Phone: 206-553-4200 Email: mara.montes@usdoj.gov Address: Western District of Washington, 700 Stewart St., STE 5220, Seattle, WA 98101, US Next steps
You may be instructed to access the USA Hire system to complete online assessments. Assessments must be completed within 48 hours after the close of the announcement. You may request a reasonable accommodation for the assessments. Your results may be used for future positions. Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is designed to be fair and transparent. Guidance covers criminal history inquiries, EEO, financial suitability, privacy, selective service, and other policies. Required documents
To apply, you must submit: Responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire A resume not to exceed two pages with: official position title, employer, start/end dates, hours per week, and duties performed Education and transcripts if required; foreign education evaluation if applicable Veterans’ Preference documentation if applicable CTAP/ICTAP documentation if applicable Reasonable accommodation documentation if applicable Experience may include volunteer work; include relevant information as described.
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