Job Details

Paralegal Specialist Positions

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon is seeking to fill paralegal specialist positions within our civil division. These positions are located in Portland, OR. This is an open continuous announcement intended to continually solicit applications in order to fill immediate and future vacancies. Initial application reviews will begin January 28, 2026.

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in the civil division of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon, in the Portland main office. Typical work assignments in support of assistant U.S. attorneys will include:

• Drafting various documents including correspondence, subpoenas, memoranda, pleadings, affidavits, motions, complaints/answers, and discovery responses and requests, for attorney's review.
• Reviewing, organizing and summarizing complex factual materials and other documentary data, such as employment and medical records.
• Performing legal research as well as factual investigation using a variety of research tools.
• Discussing relevant facts, legal issues and case strategy with attorneys.
• Developing case review databases and, in coordination with case teams, performing complex review of materials to prepare reports and production. Use tables and citation checking with efficiency.
• Preparing a variety of substantive legal documents to include subpoenas, interrogatory requests, and documentation relevant to acquiring evidence or testimony.
• Developing and entering case information into various computer databases.
• Preparing charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate results.
• Reviewing and editing district court pleadings and appellate briefs for consistency and clarity, checking legal citations and correcting typographical, formatting and substantive errors.
• Preparing exhibits for hearings and trials and assisting with presentation at both, as well as prepare jury instructions (if applicable).

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Qualifications

To be eligible at the GS-09 level, you must meet at least one of the following conditions, as defined below:

Specialized Experience: One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing paralegal or legal work which demonstrates a basic knowledge of legal research and the ability to interpret legal decisions. Examples of specialized experience may include the following:

• Examining and processing a variety of legal documents; conducting research, analysis and evaluation of data in response to complex or sensitive requests; drafting briefs, pleadings, litigation recommendations, or other legal documents and correspondence; using a variety of electronic or manual filing systems to acquire and store information; document findings and preparing recommendations; searching and reviewing legal references, case files, and other sources for information and data required by attorneys or court personnel.

-OR- Education: Master's or equivalent graduate level degree (such as an LL.B or J.D.) OR at least two (2) full years of progressively higher graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field (e.g., paralegal studies, criminal justice, law). Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

-OR- Combining Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. In order to qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be in excess of 1 full year.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy.

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

OR 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 All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized. The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

EEO Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.

Political Appointees (Current or Former): The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.