The Office of the Solicitor acts as legal counsel to the USPTO on intellectual property law matters and also works in collaboration with the Department of Commerce on interagency intellectual property law matters. The work is challenging, the atmosphere is professional, and the diverse attorneys enjoy a high quality of work life rarely found in the legal field.
You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Patent Attorney Series. Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-14. Qualified applicants should possess both specialized experience and professional experience as listed below: Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience in (i) primary drafting responsibility for briefs, memos, and legal opinions in the area of patent law; and (ii) independently conducting legal research and preparing written analyses of complex and difficult legal, factual, or policy issues in the area of patent law. AND Professional Experience is defined as legal experience that demonstrates that the applicant possesses the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. Applicants must possess a minimum of four (4) years of professional law/legal experience, post J.D. as described below: AND Professional Legal/Law Experience is defined as having experience including judicial clerkship(s), in the area of patent litigation. Patent litigation includes federal district court patent cases, patent appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and trial proceedings in patent cases before the International Trade Commission and the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The ideal candidate also has professional experience and substantive knowledge in the area of trademark and/or copyright law. 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.
The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy. This position is located in the Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Solicitor and provides support for patent and trademark litigation related to patent operations. This role is the ideal next career step for you if you look foward to: Providing legal counsel to the USPTO Director on intellectual property matters. Defending decisions of the Director, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in federal district courts and appellate courts. Preparing and filing amicus briefs on behalf of the Director on issues of importance to the development of patent or trademark law. Coordinating with the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to assist the Solicitor General in intellectual property cases before the United States Supreme Court.. Managing all aspects of cases, including case strategy, motions practice, oral arguments, written discovery, depositions, and trial if necessary. Assisting the Deputy General Counsel and Director of the Office of Enrollment and Discipline, and prosecuting practitioners charged with misconduct before an Administrative Judge (and if necessary, defending those decisions in district court and before the Federal Circuit