This is an entry-level position. This vacancy is developed for licensed applicants seeking an Attorney Advisor position. These positions are located in the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks, Trademark Examining Groups.
Duties
The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. 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 drafting a 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're 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. These positions are projected to start in fall 2025.
Salary
Qualifications
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has not issued qualification standards for attorney positions. USPTO sets minimum qualifications for attorney 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 Masters of Laws (LL.M.) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school. 3. Be an "active" member of the Bar in Good Standing of any state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution by the closing of the vacancy announcement. 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.
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. 4. Bar Membership Documentation: You MUST submit documentation showing that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. Examples of acceptable bar documentation may include one of the following: 1) Copy of Bar Card; 2) Screen shot of state of licensure with your name identified; 3) Copy of Certificate of Good Standing. *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: Attorney Advisor positions are in the Excepted Service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the USPTO considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor consideration in the hiring process. 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. You may also find more information on positive consideration for attorney hiring. 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 this entire vacancy to ensure that you are submitting a complete application package. You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement. If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration. To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application." If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth. Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.
