Summary This LEGAL ASSISTANT is located in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA), of the Joint Force Headquarters (State) and is part of the CA JFHQ JAG. Responsibilities THIS IS A T5 EXCEPTED SERVICE, TEMPORARY POSITION Selectee may be non-competitively extended up to 4 years if/when funding becomes available. The primary purpose of the LEGAL ASSISTANT, GS-0986-8, is to serve as an assistant, under the supervision of the Staff Judge Advocate, in the administration and coordination of legal activities for the state. Provides technical and procedural guidance and support to unit commanders and legal personnel as required in the accomplishment of a variety of administrative and clerical duties necessary for effective and efficient operation of the program. Performs extensive research in regulations, policies, procedures, case law, opinions, Internet sites, etc., to provide assistance to staff attorneys in the development of case files. References may include but are not limited to: Department of Defense, Departments of the Army and Air Force, and National Guard Bureau regulations; Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ); as well as Federal, State, and local laws; opinion letters; case law; etc. Reviews body of laws or regulations to determine appropriate, current, and pertinent legal precedence in assisting case development and documentation assignments in Federal, State, and administrative law claims. Receives visitors and telephone calls and exercises judgment in screening those that may be personally serviced or those that require referral. Provides assistance to serviced units concerning the administrative preparation, coordination, and implementation of documents regarding military justice. Interviews potential witnesses and provides background development summaries of all testimonial evidence for attorney review and discussion. Based on information found during research, prepares legal summaries to be used as part of the case or trial development, pending approval by the assigned attorney. Prepares and organizes exhibits and verifies citations and legal references on prepared legal documents. Reviews completed documents for procedural adherence to guidelines, initiates corrective actions as necessary, and coordinates review of actions by staff attorneys as required. Prepares, or assists clients in the preparation of various legal documents that may include wills, powers of attorney, claims, voting requirements, loan contracts, motor vehicle registrations, titles, transfers, lien releases, and notary services, etc. Provides assistance and information to clients on legal rights, benefits, privileges, or obligations; explains pertinent legal provisions, regulations, and related administrative practices; and their application to specific cases or questions. The position resides within the infrastructure and support functions of the state National Guard; the incumbent is not subject to mobilization, nor is the work described part of the military mission; and the incumbent does not perform a key advisory or essential administrative role that is inherently military. In addition, the position must meet one of the following: It does not have a comparable military function; the position is required in full-time (civilian) role when the organization, or similar military position, is mobilized to perform continuing post-mobilization functions; or the position requires a skill or competency that necessitates technical expertise or professional qualifications that cannot be readily found in the military structure of the state military force. May make additional selections within 90 days of eligible(s) issuance. Requirements Conditions of Employment Recruitment/Relocation Recruitment/Relocation Incentive IS NOT authorized. PCS Relocation Costs IS NOT authorized based on determination that Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move is not in the Government best interest. Participation in direct deposit is mandatory. May be required to successfully complete a probationary period. U.S. citizenship is required. Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation. Must maintain proper security clearance. Security Clearance: at a minimum a National Agency Check is required prior to position assignment. Qualifications LEGAL ASSISTANT, GS-0986-8: Must have at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-07 level, or equivalent pay band in other pay systems in the Federal government. This experience may also have been obtained in the private sector, but must demonstrate that it is comparable to the GS grade indicated. Specialized experience may have been demonstrated by: attending and keeping record of all legal proceedings; experience maintaining a court calendar; experience establishing, maintaining, and closing case files or systems of legal records; experience annotating indices and status records, compiling workload and status reports. Your resume must have complete information: Please ensure your resume accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities under each position you have held with each employer. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. It is your responsibility to make sure your resume states complete information for each job entry (beginning and ending dates of employment stated as MM/YYYY; and total hours worked per week). If your resume does not provide enough information regarding your work history for us to make a creditable qualification determination, your application package may be rendered disqualified and you will no longer be considered for this position. Part-time or unpaid experience: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid work on the same basis as for paid experience. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. To receive credit for such experience you must indicate clearly the nature of the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the number of hours per week spent in such employment. Qualifications must be met by the closing date: You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by 02/24/2025 Education N/A Additional Information If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx). If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, please email ng.ca.caarng.list.j1-hro-recruitfedjobs-usas@army.mil or Fax to 916-854-3439. This is an Excepted Service position. Applicants who currently hold a Competitive Service status and is offered a position with the California National Guard, will lose their Competitive Service status to become Excepted Service. Competitive Service applicants who are Career and have completed the three year service requirement permanent tenure (Block 24 reflects "1") are eligible for lifetime reinstatement rights. Competitive Service applicants who are Career Conditional and have not completed the three year service requirement (Block 24 reflects "2") are eligible for three year reinstatement rights. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (the Fair Chance Act) prohibits Federal agencies and Federal contractors acting on their behalf from requesting that an applicant for Federal employment disclose criminal history record information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment to that applicant. When it is alleged that an agency employee has violated the requirements, an applicant may submit a complaint, or any other information, to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance with 5 U.S.C. 9202 and 5 CFR part 920 by an employee of the agency.