Legal Administrative Specialist (Chief Clerk)

Full Job Description

This position is in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), Office of the Chief Administrative Trademark Judge.

The TTAB hears and decides oppositions, cancellations, concurrent use proceedings, and appeals from examining attorneys' final refusals.

The Office of the Chief Administrative Trademark Judge provides overall direction and guidance to TTAB legal, judicial, operational, and administrative functions.

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 General Legal and Kindred Administration Series 0901 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-12.

Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience working with, and understanding, trademark law, the Trademark Act, the Trademark Rules of Practice, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Federal Rules of Evidence, and controlling administrative and court precedents.

Experience conducting legal research and writing, and drafting clear legally-sufficient orders, findings, legal documents, or instruments for issuance or submission under delegated authority.

Experience serving as a focal point for resolving complex stakeholder questions, coordinating cross-functional resources, developing policy or process recommendations, and packaging complex findings into clear, actionable recommendations that enable senior leaders to make timely, informed decisions.

Experience applying and understanding court and legal practices, terminology, and case flow management techniques, while reviewing and tracking decisions under judicial review at the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and at U.S. District Court.

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. 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.

This position serves as the Chief Clerk of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

This is your next ideal career move if: You have the ability to analyze cross-functional issues, assess legal/regulatory impacts on the division's legal/judicial programs, and propose operational improvements.

You have a strong administrative background to oversee division legal work outcomes, spot issues needing executive decisions, and determine when to elevate matters to senior leadership.

You can independently analyze litigation, case-review, and operational data; identify trends; and produce concise reports and visuals for senior leadership.

You're a collaborative relationship builder and can engage with Senior Counsel, interlocutory attorneys, and judges; clarifying processes; liaise on remands/reconsiderations; handle escalations; and deliver onboarding/training.

You have strong project management skills to lead projects and pilots; manage timelines and brief executives; develop implementation procedures; collaborate across Trademarks and division analysts; and maintain current technical Q&As for the division call center.

You have a keen eye to draft orders; manage concurrent-use dockets/conversions; and serve as SME for remands/ex parte exceptions, appeals oversight, WIPO transmissions, judicial reviews, and letters rogatory.