Job Description:

Leidos is looking for a highly-motivated, first-class Paralegal to join us in supporting the Department of Justice in New Orleans, LA.

In this role, you will gain many intangible skills, such as time and task management, critical thinking and problem solving, the ability to communicate complicated problems in a concise manner with internal and external colleagues of all levels. If you are well-organized and able to manage multiple critical tasks under tight deadlines, have good customer service skills, and thrive in a fast-paced and diverse environment, this job is for you!

Primary Responsibilities include:

Provides a variety of direct legal support assistance services to the Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) staff. Typical assignments include:

Examines, prepares and processes a variety of technical legal documents which are characteristically voluminous and complex in format.

Reviews incoming material and independently determines the need for assembly and preparation of a variety of legal documents, e.g., complaints, motions, orders, answers, pleadings, and subpoenas.

Obtains needed information from files, law enforcement agencies, or other source, and submits completed legal documents to the appropriate AUSA or, in limited cases, directly to the court.

In preparation of documents, considers the nature and the status of the case involved. With limited instructions from the AUSA, prepares such legal actions as indictments, criminal/civil complaints, search warrants, judgements, applications, notices, affidavits, summonses, grand jury subpoenas, rules to show cause, proof of claim, and satisfaction of judgment.

Completes variable aspects of recurring legal documentations in conformance with the rules governing their style and format.

Provides assistance to attorneys in trial preparation by performing duties such as independently compiling trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling witness and exhibit lists.

Coordinates with the victim/witness specialist to ensure adherence to current Departmental guidelines relating to victims’ rights and services responsibilities. Notifies appropriate individuals of victim/witness issues.

Using original and online legal resources, verifies citations and statutory references contained in legal documents. Ensures citations are complete and consistent with source material.

Develops tables of contents and indices to briefs in accordance with established format. Lists cited cases, opinions and miscellaneous references in briefs.

Composes original letters that do not require legal interpretations, but do require a good working knowledge of legal procedures and specialized terminology, e.g., transmittal of pleadings, request for extensions of time in certain cases, advising of actions taken or developments in cases referred by other federal departments and agencies, and notices to attorneys representing defendants.

Provides a variety of direct clerical and administrative support assistance services to AUSA staff.

Receives visitors and telephone callers. Furnishers requested information concerning pending and closed matters and cases, functions and general procedures of the office. Determines which matters should be referred to the AUSA and the urgency of the matter. Establishes and maintains a variety of files. Searches legal reference files for information needed by AUSAs in conducting interviews and preparing correspondence. Assembles exhibits affidavits, and other legal documents from file material. Separates, screens, selects, assembles, and organizes files and records material for disposition or organizes files and records material for disposition or transfer to records depository in accordance with established procedures.

Performs docketing duties such as opening, updating and closing cases through use of the automated case tracking system. As necessary searchers database for required information. Obligates funds for litigation expenses and monitors for continued necessity. Reviews bills and invoices and submits to budget office for payment. Maintains calendar of assigned active cases. Tracks filing, hearing and trial dates, and scheduling conferences and interviews.

Arranges travel by preparing itinerary and securing transportation and hotel reservations.

Produces a variety of written documents and materials utilizing a wide range of office software types, e.g., tables produced by database applications and charts and graphs produced by electric spreadsheet applications, into work processing or desk top publishing text. Products include complicated tables, graphs and charts which may be incorporated into legal documents or courtroom presentations. Ensures proper format, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.

Provides automated litigation assistance to attorneys in trial preparation and courtroom presentations. Utilizes various software applications and graphics hardware such as scanners and plotters. Prepares technical support e.g., enlarging charts and photographs, duplicating tapes and videos, and marking exhibits.

Basic Qualifications:

Requires paralegal certificate, JD, or currently attending an ABA-accredited law school, having completed at least one year of study. One year of legal training or legal experience or at least two years of college education may be substituted for the paralegal certificate.

At least one year of litigation paralegal experience or project experience (as related to the task order) is required.

Must have basic legal knowledge, including knowledge of standard legal citation to cite check legal motions and memorandum and must have sufficient experience with legal research tools such as LEXIS and Westlaw to perform basic legal research.

Excellent written and oral communication skills, thorough knowledge and hands-on familiarity with a variety of computer applications, including word processing, databases (such as document review and file management systems), spreadsheets, imaging, and hardware systems.

Basic familiarity with ESI tools and knowledge of eDiscovery procedures and resources.

Must be a U.S. citizen.

Preferred Qualifications:

Trial experience very helpful.

Automated litigation support experience valued (i.e., Relativity).

Ability to consistently deliver highest quality work under extreme pressure will be very important.

Current or active clearance preferred.

Leidos is growing! Connect with us on LinkedIn and Facebook. We value and support the well-being and mobility of our employees with competitive benefit packages, complementary e-learning training, work-life flexibility, and a diverse, inclusive and ethical work place. In fact, in 2020, Leidos was ranked as one of the “World's Most Ethical Companies” by the Ethisphere Institute for the third consecutive year.

MEGA