About this role
Job SummaryThis position is for a Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist (Information Services) in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). In this role, the incumbent will provide expert and comprehensive legal support to various offices/divisions within FHFA.
QualificationsYou may qualify for your desired series and grade level if you meet the following qualification requirements: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Minimum Qualification EL-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below. Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-12 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-11 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with one or more of the statements described below. Examples of specialized experience include: Coordinating the development, tracking, and execution of eDiscovery operations; AND/OR Supporting an information governance program such as a FOIA or Privacy program, for an agency or organization; AND/OR Conducting legal research in support of legal matters related to internal agency operations; AND/OR Drafting, editing, and finalizing technical and legal documentation related to information governance, such as for eDiscovery, Litigation Holds, FOIA, Privacy, or the Paperwork Reduction Act. Minimum Qualification EL-13: Applicants must have 52 weeks (one-year) of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as described below. Experience: I qualify for the EL/GS-13 because I have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience at the EL/GS-12 or equivalent demonstrating work experience with one or more of the statements described below. Examples of specialized experience include: Supporting programs in two of the following subject matter areas: FOIA; Privacy; Litigation Holds; or Paperwork Reduction Act; AND/OR Providing oversight of the development, tracking, and execution of eDiscovery operations; AND/OR Conducting legal research in support of legal matters related to internal agency operations; AND/OR Drafting, editing, and finalizing technical and legal documentation related to information governance, such as for eDiscovery, Litigation Holds, FOIA, Privacy, or the Paperwork Reduction Act. Time-In-Grade: Current or former Federal government employees who have held an EL/GS position in the preceding 52 weeks, must meet the time-in-grade requirement. To be eligible for the EL-12 position, applicants must have served 52 weeks as an EL/GS-11 or higher in the Federal Service. To be eligible for the EL-13 position, applicants must have served 52 weeks as an EL/GS-12 or higher in the Federal Service. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Major DutiesOffice of General Counsel The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal advice and representation to every office in FHFA regarding all aspects of FHFA's activities and operations. Position Overview The Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist provides expert and comprehensive legal support to the General Counsel, OGC attorneys and professional staff, and other FHFA Divisions and Offices, specifically focused on information services such as electronic discovery (eDiscovery), FOIA, privacy, records, and compliance. Major Duties & Responsibilities The Paralegal Specialist/Senior Paralegal Specialist (Information Services) duties listed below are at the EL-13 grade level. Depending on the grade level selected, the incumbent will perform the following duties with varying levels of supervision and difficulty: Provide comprehensive and authoritative technical and administrative support to the Information Governance Team within the Operations Branch. Support FHFA's eDiscovery program in coordination with attorney staff, the Managing Associate General Counsel, Operations, and the Deputy General Counsel, Operations. Develop and implement standard operating procedures relative to the eDiscovery program and make recommendations for improvements and refinements to procedures, as appropriate. Serve as liaison with other Divisions and Offices within FHFA, responding to routine, complex, and sensitive eDiscovery requests, including internal misconduct investigations, Office of Inspector General (OIG) requests, Congressional requests, and requests related to external litigation. Engage with managers, the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), and personnel attorneys, as appropriate, with respect to eDiscovery searches. Support the legal hold process, including the distribution of preservation notices to Agency custodians, identification of relevant data sources, and coordination with OCIO to enable preservation in place of potentially relevant data. Give authoritative advice and guidance to agency personnel on issues related to the processing and fulfilling of records, eDiscovery, and FOIA requests, and other related information governance issues. Provide operational support to the FOIA Program with case management utilizing FOIA tools, including case intake, drafting and editing correspondence, monitoring statutory deadlines, managing backlogs, and generating accurate status reports. Initiate actions to assist the Operations Branch with Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) compliance, coordinating with program offices to submit information collection requests for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. Provide main support to the Operations Branch in responding to internal and external audits (e.g., FHFA OIG, Government Accountability Office (GAO)) and in preparing annual and ad-hoc reports, including maintaining, gathering, and producing relevant information and records. Review and analyze Executive Orders, OMB memoranda, and other Federal guidance documents to determine their impact on Agency operations, including monitoring the Federal Register and other official channels for updated regulatory guidance. Serve as a Federal Register liaison, coordinating publication of FHFA systems-of-records notices, PRA notices, regulations, and other notices in the Federal Register. Perform complex and comprehensive legal research and technical duties in support of FHFA program matters. Conduct extensive and thorough research into relevant statutes, regulations, case law, and government-wide guidance. Perform legal research by utilizing a wide variety of electronic and hardcopy resources including electronic search engines and resources on the internet. Perform other duties as assigned.