Law Clerk
Join us at America's Innovation Agency and be at the forefront of protecting intellectual property rights! We're looking for Law Clerks under the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks, Trademark Examining Groups. This vacancy is developed for applicants seeking an Attorney Advisor position who: currently have a Juris Doctor (JD) or will have received their JD no later than June 30, 2024, and either have plans to sit for the bar or are awaiting results from the bar.
These positions are projected to start in October 2024. Writing samples may be requested prior to being interviewed. Salary listed is for the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington area; Salary dependent on location of selectee; Locality tables are listed on OPM.
> > LEARN about a career as a trademark examining attorney: https://bit.ly/4c7JXJA > > WATCH this webinar recording to hear about a day in a life: https://bit.ly/3Yzm5rt > > HEAR from one of our team members: https://bit.ly/2JPulR0
Applicants hired under this vacancy announcement (except in particular circumstances concerning current and former Federal Government employees with significant relevant trademark experience) will have their grade and pay set at the GS-0904-09 Step 01 grade level at ($64,957) per annum.
Upon ADMISSION TO THE BAR, the Law Clerk (GS-0904-09) position will be converted to the Attorney Advisor (GS-0905-11) position with a full performance level to the GS-14. Applicants who apply to this vacancy prior to being licensed as an attorney and are able to obtain licensure prior to the start date may be hired at the GS-0905-11 grade level.
If you are currently a licensed bar member, we encourage you to apply to the Attorney Advisor vacancy: https://bit.ly/3J7zvEK
Telework The incumbent may telework from anywhere in the U.S. or work from the physical worksite , which is located in Alexandria, Virginia.
Prior to the start date, you will be given the opportunity to elect to work from the Alexandria headquarters, from an alternate/home location within the United States (defined as the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico), or a combination of headquarters and alternate location. Your salary/pay will be based on your selected worksite geographical location. The nature and scope of telework opportunities will be subject to the unit's telework policy and any applicable bargaining unit agreements.
Duties As a Law Clerk, you will:
- Be 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.
- Conduct preliminary review of applications which may pose complex factual and legal questions; analyze the record; evaluate facts; and determine questions of law.
- Recommend approval of a mark for publication for opposition or draft the final position of the Agency.
- Meet with counsel in order to resolve issues that arise during examination.
- Prepare cases for ex parte appeal to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.
> > TO LEARN MORE about the USPTO's benefits, visit: https://bit.ly/3yj8yXy > > TO APPLY, apply on USAJOBS by 4/25/2024: https://bit.ly/3TNEzTG
Qualifications To be eligible for this position, you must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Meet the following education requirement: possess Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school (with active plans to sit for the Bar of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court Under the Constitution).
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.
The full list of conditions and qualifications can be found on the USAJOBS posting: https://bit.ly/3TNEzTG
Conditions of Employment Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals and your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies. If selected, you will be required to pass a background investigation.
We value our diverse, inclusive, and collaborative team members at the USPTO. We know the talents of each colleague enrich our vibrant workplace. The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
