Posted July 19, 2026
Paralegal Specialist
Board of Immigration Appeals
Falls Church, VA
Full Time
Compensation: $70,623 to $111,087 Annually
Reference: BoardofImmigrationAppeals876180800
This position is located in the Board or Immigration Appeals, Executive Office for Immigration Review, U. S. Department of Justice. The Paralegal Specialist provides assistance to Appellate Immigration Judges and Attorney Advisors in case adjudication by performing legal research and analysis: drafting documents; and creating and maintaining case files.
This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance. ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). You MUST provide a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking, or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation by clicking here: Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP). All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. (Note: If you are selected for this position based on education, an official transcript will be required, prior to your first day.) You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Translated transcripts are required.
In addition, if a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. The duties and responsibilities for a Paralegal Specialist, GS-0950-9/11 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:
FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (or comparable experience outside the Federal service), performing 3 or more of the following duties:
-OR-
Education: Applicants must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree OR two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.B. or J.D., in a directly related field.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess a combination of the above described graduate education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-09 level. Only graduate education beyond the first year (18 semester hours) may be used when combining education and experience for this option.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (or comparable experience outside the Federal service), performing 3 or more of the following duties:
-OR-
Education: Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.M. in a directly related field.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess a combination of the above described graduate education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-11 level. Only graduate education beyond the first 2 years (36 semester hours) may be used when combining education and experience for this option.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.
This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance. ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). You MUST provide a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking, or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation by clicking here: Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP). All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. (Note: If you are selected for this position based on education, an official transcript will be required, prior to your first day.) You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Translated transcripts are required.
In addition, if a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. The duties and responsibilities for a Paralegal Specialist, GS-0950-9/11 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Screening and reviewing case files to identify and record legal issues; processing and moving screened cases based upon review thereof.
- Performing extensive and thorough legal research into laws, legislative history, precedent setting cases, decisions, and opinions that may be applicable.
- Drafting administrative decisions to be reviewed by AIJs; drafting responses to motions, and notice letters to parties before the Board.
- Providing technical support to staff members, attorneys, managers, and AIJs during various stages of case processing and adjudication, and timely responds to inquiries regarding the status and processing of cases.
- Preparing memoranda and reports, and compiling data and other information relating to ongoing immigration matters.
- Monitoring the case management system for judicial and internal deadlines.
- Responding to time-sensitive phone calls and email inquiries from the public and the Department of Homeland Security concerning motions for stay of removal; assisting attorneys and AIJs in preparing the case file for review in adjudicating the motions for stay of removal.
FOR THE GS-09 LEVEL:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (or comparable experience outside the Federal service), performing 3 or more of the following duties:
- Drafting judicial papers or responses to motions, such as, subpoenas, change of venue, or motions to terminate;
- Evaluating judicial orders, decisions, bond proceedings, or legal documents for case law compliance;
- Entering data into case management systems according to proper data entry requirements; and
- Obtaining factual information or research through face-to-face meetings with legal support personnel.
-OR-
Education: Applicants must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree OR two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.B. or J.D., in a directly related field.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess a combination of the above described graduate education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-09 level. Only graduate education beyond the first year (18 semester hours) may be used when combining education and experience for this option.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one year (52 weeks, full-time) of specialized work experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (or comparable experience outside the Federal service), performing 3 or more of the following duties:
- Writing analyses and/or legal memoranda regarding the results of research;
- Performing legal research into laws, legislative history, precedent setting cases, decisions or opinions;
- Creating user defined reports relating to ongoing legal matters; and
- Advising or explaining factual information or research to general public through face-to-face meetings.
-OR-
Education: Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR I have an LL.M. in a directly related field.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants must possess a combination of the above described graduate education and specialized experience such that they total 100% of the stated minimum qualifications for the GS-11 level. Only graduate education beyond the first 2 years (36 semester hours) may be used when combining education and experience for this option.
NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.
