Attorney Advisor (Trademark)

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). The TTAB is an administrative tribunal within the U.S.

Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that hears and decides trial level adversary proceedings involving two or more parties. These include oppositions, cancellations, and concurrent use proceedings.

The TTAB also hears and decides appeals from final refusals issued by USPTO Trademark Examining Attorneys following review of applications to register marks.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has not issued qualification standards for attorney positions.

However, the USPTO sets minimum qualifications for attorney positions and sets forth these qualifications in each vacancy announcement.

You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.

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 listed below.

GS-15: To qualify for this position at the GS-15 level, you must possess at least one (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level AND four (4) years of the Professional Legal/Law Experience.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: (1) Experience performing comprehensive (full spectrum of a case with multiple issues) legal analysis and research in the area of trademark law; (2) Conducting legal analysis of procedural and substantive arguments from legal counsel or pro se parties in the area of trademark law; AND, (3) Independently drafting legally defensible opinions addressing the issues raised by said counsel or parties.

AND Professional Legal/Law Experience is defined as having experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled in the area.

This experience is in the area of trademark law characterized by: breadth and depth of experience in rendering legal advice and services; representing parties in litigation or in proceedings before federal courts and/or administrative tribunals; acting as principal attorney in charge of the preparation and presentation of cases; researching and drafting pleadings and motions, and/or legal decisions, orders, and/or opinions; managing a docket of cases; adjudicating legal issues; conducting investigations to obtain facts; analyzing questions of law including questions arising under the federal rules of civil procedure and evidence; studying, analyzing and evaluating legal precedents, to present findings.

Demonstrated high quality legal writing skills are critical. Major Duties:

The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy.

This role is the ideal next career step for you if: You're keen to assess the legal questions presented, craft a strategy to address them, and decide the substance and delivery method for the final legal analysis.

You're prepared to oversee interlocutory issues in oppositions, cancellations, and concurrent use proceedings before the TTAB.

You're enthusiastic about serving as a recognized authority on procedural and substantive law, providing mentorship and coaching to others.

You're driven to independently rule on and issue orders for all procedural and substantive motions that are not potentially case-dispositive, such as motions to amend pleadings, to compel discovery, and to strike evidence.

You're ready to confer with and draft decisions for Administrative Trademark Judges on procedural and substantive motions that may be dispositive, such as motions to dismiss, for judgment on the pleadings, and for summary judgment.

You're eager to collaborate with Administrative Trademark Judges and TTAB senior leadership, as well as senior leaders and attorneys from other public and private organizations.