Law Clerk

This is an entry-level position located in the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks, Trademark Examining Groups. This vacancy is developed for applicants seeking an Attorney Advisor position who: currently have a Juris Doctor (JD) , and either have plans to sit for the bar or are awaiting results from the bar. NOTE: The closing date of this vacancy announcement has been extended to 07/06/2026.

Duties

The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person. Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion. The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per calendar year.

This rewarding opportunity is ideal for you if:

• You're committed to being responsible for the complete ex parte examination of applications for the registration of trademarks to ensure compliance with the Trademark Act of 1946 and related statutes.
• You are excited to conduct preliminary review of applications which may pose complex factual and legal questions; analyze the record; evaluate facts; and determine questions of law.
• You have experience recommending approval of a mark for publication for opposition or draft the final position of the Agency.
• You're a collaborative relationship builder who looks forward to meeting with counsel in order to resolve issues that arise during examination.
• You are interested in preparing cases for ex parte appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
• You have experience exploring alternative work methods and providing feedback to management on their effects on examination tools and performance.
• You're looking for an opportunity to test new technologies by assisting in the evaluation of innovative tools for trademark examination, such as artificial intelligence.
• You're committed to taking part in trials of new work structures and processes, while offering recommendations to management for streamlining operations and resolving issues.

Applicants hired under this vacancy announcement (except in particular circumstances concerning current and former Federal Government employees with significant relevant trademark experience) will have their grade and pay set at the GS-0904-09 Step 01 grade level at $70,623 per annum.

Upon ADMISSION TO THE BAR, the Law Clerk (GS-0904-09) position will be converted to the Attorney Advisor (GS-0905-11) position with a full performance level to the GS-14. Applicants who apply to this vacancy prior to being licensed as an attorney and are able to obtain licensure prior to the start date may be hired at the GS-0905-11 grade level.

These positions are projected to start 11/02/2026.

Salary

• $70,623 - $75,059/year

Conditions of Employment

• Applicants will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Suitable for Federal employment.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a two-year trial period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• Financial disclosure statement (OGE Form 450) is required for this position.

Qualifications

Applicants must complete Bar Admission (Licensed and Sworn in) within fourteen (14) months of being hired in order to maintain employment.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has not issued qualification standards for law clerk positions. USPTO sets minimum qualifications for law clerk positions and sets forth these qualifications in each vacancy announcement.

To be eligible for this position, you must:

1. Be a U.S. Citizen or National

2. Meet the following education requirement: possess Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school (with active plans to sit for the Bar of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court Under the Constitution).

If selected, the above qualifications must be maintained throughout the period of employment.

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.

Education To meet minimum eligibility requirements for this position, applicants must possess at least a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree or Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA accredited law school. You must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient. Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration. NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Other Information If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. This is a Non Bargaining Unit position. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "MODERATE." Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website. Trial Period - If selected, you may be required to complete a two-year trial period. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued. All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, retaliation for engaging in protected activity, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity via email (oeeo@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292). Required Documents

A complete application consists of the following Supporting Documents:

1. A Resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: You are strongly encouraged to upload a standard format resume (pdf or MS Word format) in addition or in lieu of any resume built on USAJobs. Your resume must be limited to two (2) pages. Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments. The submission of a cover letter briefly detailing your interest in the position is also strongly encouraged. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume.

2. Written Statement - You MUST submit a written statement as outlined in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section.

3. Law School Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your law school transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirements. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.

*Supporting documents that may be requested of applicants after the closing date of this announcement are:

1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action".

2. Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214 containing your discharge disposition, dates of service, and rank. If you are a preference eligible claiming a service connected disability of 10 percent or more, you will be asked to submit documentation (i.e. a letter dated 1991 or later from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces) certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation. Veterans must include dates of military service within the automated application process, and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more information, please visit Feds Hire Vets.

Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement. NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside at least 2 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.