The Legal Assistant II provides advanced legal, clerical, and administrative support to Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) within the Criminal Division. The position requires specialized knowledge of legal procedures, litigation support, document preparation, case management, and courtroom preparation in a fast-paced federal law enforcement environment.

Key Responsibilities

Legal & Litigation Support

• Prepare, review, assemble, and process complex legal documents, including complaints, motions, pleadings, subpoenas, discovery requests/responses, correspondence, and orders
• Independently draft recurring legal documents in compliance with federal court rules and DOJ formatting standards
• Verify legal citations, statutory references, and supporting authorities using legal research tools (e.g., Westlaw, LexisNexis)
• Develop tables of contents, indices, and lists of cited authorities for briefs and filings

Trial & Case Preparation

• Compile trial notebooks, witness lists, exhibit lists, and jury instructions
• Assist attorneys with courtroom presentations and trial exhibits
• Coordinate with Victim/Witness Specialists to ensure compliance with DOJ victim rights guidelines
• Provide automated litigation support, including document scanning, graphics preparation, exhibit marking, and multimedia setup

Administrative & Case Management

• Maintain case calendars, track filing deadlines, hearings, and trial dates
• Perform docketing duties and manage cases using automated case tracking systems
• Establish, organize, maintain, and archive legal files and records in accordance with DOJ policies
• Receive and screen telephone calls and visitors, determine urgency, and route matters appropriately
• Obligate litigation funds, review invoices, and coordinate payment submissions
• Arrange travel, prepare itineraries, and process travel authorizations and vouchers

Technical & Office Support

• Produce professional documents, spreadsheets, charts, and presentations using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Integrate data across applications for legal filings and courtroom use
• Ensure accuracy, formatting, grammar, and quality control for all work products

Additional Duties

• Perform other related duties as assigned within the scope of the position

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED (college coursework in a related field preferred)
• Minimum three (3) years of professional legal support experience
• Demonstrated experience performing litigation and administrative support duties similar in scope
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to interact professionally with attorneys, court personnel, law enforcement, and the public
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
• Typing speed of 40 words per minute with minimal errors
• U.S. citizenship and ability to successfully obtain and maintain a DOJ background investigation (Public Trust)

`Preferred Skills & Competencies

• Experience supporting criminal litigation in a federal or government legal environment
• Familiarity with PACER, Westlaw, LexisNexis, and DOJ case management systems
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines
• High attention to detail and discretion with sensitive and confidential information

Security & Compliance Requirements

• Successful completion of the DOJ background investigation
• Completion of required DOJ ethics, cybersecurity, privacy, and records management training
• Adherence to confidentiality, Privacy Act, and DOJ security policies

Travel

• Occasional local or out-of-district travel may be required with prior approval

Work Schedule

Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Federal holidays observed