Attorney Examiner (ATJ)

Full Job Description

Are you ready to elevate your career through imagination, discernment, and ingenuity?

Join a dynamic and skilled team empowered to preserve the legal and procedural rights of trademark owners and the public.

As an Administrative Trademark Judge (ATJ), you'll work together with other judges to provide determinations of trademark registration disputes, while upholding the integrity of the Principal and Supplemental Registers and the registration system.

You must have significant, specialized experience at a level close to the work of this job that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform in the position.

Typically, we would find this experience in work within the Trademark litigation and prosecution field or general IP field with a significant Trademark component and would be acquired over a lengthy period of years in the private practice of IP law, in IP-related government positions, or similar legal work.

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.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to the position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES.

Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified.

Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s).

If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

The candidate must be a recognized subject matter expert with directly related experience.

Candidates must demonstrate their experience meets the Professional Technical Qualifications for this position in their two-page resume and writing sample.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs).

PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (PTQS): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

Demonstrated comprehensive knowledge of and expertise in the legal principles and technical subject matter related to appeals and inter partes trial proceedings at the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, including the Trademark Act and the statutory grounds for refusing/challenging registration, USPTO rules governing trademark matters (e.g., 37 C.F.R.

Parts 2, 3, and 7), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence, and common law governing the acquisition of ownership rights of marks, with the demonstrated ability to analyze and apply relevant law, interpret complex technical and factual information, review written work product of others, and collaborate and communicate effectively with others to resolve legal and technical issues.

Demonstrated ability to sift through pleadings, discovery, evidence, and briefs to find the important facts in a case, prepare clear and concise written documents applying pertinent law to those facts, and to manage multiple competing priorities, including assigned work and collaborative work with others, while meeting prescribed deadlines, productivity goals and quality standards.

Major 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.

If you're ready to promote and protect the interests of trademarks owners and the public, then this amazing opportunity within the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) is open to you!

If you're motivated and ready for your next challenge, come join the agency that drives economic growth, national prosperity, and celebrates and supports the collaborative teamwork of its employees.

As an Administrative Trademark Judge (ATJ), you'll work together with other judges as a cohesive collective unit to further the mission of the TTAB.

An ATJ serves as a member of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the USPTO.

The TTAB has the authority to: Review ex parte appeals of adverse decisions on trademark applications made by trademark examining attorneys; Review and decide inter partes oppositions to applications, petitions to cancel registrations, and concurrent use proceedings; Review and decide contested interlocutory motions in inter partes proceedings in collaboration with TTAB interlocutory attorneys and judge panels; Evaluate evidence, and arguments and citations presented in briefs filed in contested trademark trial cases and appeals; Engage in conferences with TTAB attorneys, judges and parties involved in trials and appeals, arising under Federal trademark registration statutes.

As an ATJ, you will: Review arguments and evidence provided in motions, briefs and oral hearings; Effectively work with colleagues to analyze and decide legal and factual issues; Prepare and issue timely, high-quality decisions, that are consistent with statutes, regulations, case law, and agency policies; Display professionalism and judicial decorum; and Perform any task that supports the mission of the USPTO and the TTAB, such as: participating in stakeholder engagement, leading project teams, contributing to policy development, and developing best practices.

The decisions of the TTAB are final in the Executive Branch and are subject to review, through appeal, only by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or by civil action in a U.S.

District Court. The TTAB judges serve under the general administrative direction of the Chief and Deputy Chief Administrative Trademark Judges, TTAB.

All adjudicatory functions are performed in concert with other assigned judges on each panel.