Law Intern - Student Trainee

Imagine a transformative summer experience working as an intern as part of the USPTO Law Internship Program where you will be starting your career working side by side with intellectual property (IP) and administrative law leaders. Here we celebrate, support, and thrive by supporting the IP economy through collaboration and expertise. Join us as part of a team that makes meaningful changes with a global impact across the IP community.

Duties

These positions are located in the following U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Regional Offices:

• San Jose, California
• Bozeman, Montana
• Dallas, Texas
• Salt Lake City, Utah

The USPTO fosters innovation, competitiveness, and job growth in the United States by conducting high-quality, timely patent and trademark examination and review proceedings to produce stable, reliable, and predictable intellectual property (IP) rights; guiding IP policy and improving IP rights protection; and delivering IP information and education across America and worldwide.

Two distinct business lines, Patents and Trademarks, administer the patent and trademark laws that provide protection to inventors and businesses for their inventions and brands and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States through the preservation, classification, and dissemination of patent and trademark information.

In addition to the Patents and Trademarks business units, the USPTO organization includes several other supporting business areas, including, the Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Office of the Chief Communications Officer, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Office of Policy and International Affairs, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB).

This exciting internship opportunity will start early June and will not exceed 90 days. Interns are asked to commit to work a full-time schedule during the duration of their appointment. Interns will be provided with a laptop, Lexis/Nexis training, and other legal training as needed.

As part of the USPTO Law Internship Program, you will receive practical, hands-on experience by engaging in a variety of engaging and challenging activities. This exciting opportunity is ideal for you!If selected, you will support USPTO legal matters across practice areas by:

• Conducting legal research and analyzing statutes, regulations, case law, and agency precedent for attorney review.
• Assisting with case preparation by organizing files and dockets, drafting memoranda, correspondence, and sections of briefs, and preparing exhibits.
• Supporting legal proceedings and meetings by drafting talking points, assembling and annotating materials, coordinating logistics, and taking notes as directed.
• Collaborating with attorneys, paralegals, examiners, and administrative staff to gather information, clarify issues, and advance casework.
• Observing administrative and judicial proceedings regarding the USPTO's work.
• Adhering to USPTO procedures and professional ethics by maintaining confidentiality, following record-keeping and citation standards, and escalating conflicts or ethical concerns to supervisors.
• Ensuring quality and timeliness by proofreading, verifying citations, meeting deadlines, and seeking supervisory guidance when needed.

Salary

• $50,925 - $82,007/year

Conditions of Employment

• Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• Suitable for Federal Employment
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• This is a temporary NTE 90-day excepted service appointment.

Qualifications

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has not issued qualification standards for this position. USPTO sets minimum qualifications for the position 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) be currently enrolled in law school as a 1st, 2nd or 3rd year law student with at least a 2.75 grade point average; (3) be in good academic standing; If selected, the above qualifications must be maintained throughout the period of employment.

One full academic year of undergraduate; graduate; vocational; trades; or technical is the number of credit hours determined by the college, university or school to represent 1 year of full-time study. All education beyond high school must be accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Education You must be accepted or enrolled in an accredited law school and taking at least a half-time academic course load. The definition of half-time is the definition provided by the school in which you are enrolled. *Completion of at least one course in Intellectual Property or Administrative Law is a preferred but not required. GS-05: Candidates must be currently enrolled and completed at least one semester as a 1st year law student. GS-07: Candidates must be currently enrolled as a 2nd or 3rd year law school student. Students must be in good academic standing (GPA of 2.75 or higher). If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, 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 General Schedule Qualification Policies 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 "LOW". 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. 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. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information). Required Documents A complete application consists of: 1. Resume: All applicants are required to submit a two-page resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES). Resumes exceeding this limit will not be considered eligible. Please submit only one resume. Only the document uploaded under the "Resume "section as the "Document Type" will be reviewed to assess your qualifications and for evaluation purposes. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year (MM/YY - MM/YY) and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Resume should clearly state your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. Please Note: Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official. 2. Professional or Academic References: Provide 2-3 professional/academic references (name, phone, email); one must be your current supervisor. We'll notify you before contacting them. 3. Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your LAW school transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are accepted, 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 requirement. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration. Supporting Documents: 1. Veterans' Preference Documentation: 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. You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site. 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.