Attorney-Adviser (Trademark)

The Office of Trademarks Quality Review and Training (QTQRT) supports excellence in trademark examination through quality review and training. The incumbent reviews sampled trademark applications, analyzes data to identify issues, recommends policy and procedural improvements, and develops and delivers legal training to varied audiences. The work is collaborative, challenging, and essential to maintaining high-quality trademark examination. You must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or Master of Laws (L.L.M) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school and an active bar membership of any state and Show/Submit Proof of BOTH.

If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to General Schedule Qualification Policies for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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.

As a senior legal authority for trademark quality review and examination policy matters, the individual selected for this position must ENJOY:

• Leading quality reviews of trademark examination decisions for legal accuracy, consistency, and procedural compliance.
• Directing final review of complex and precedent-setting trademark applications.
• Evaluating substantive legal issues involving registrability, likelihood of confusion, ownership, and prohibited marks.
• Overseeing application re-searches, classification reviews, and examination standards compliance.
• Developing written findings, recommendations, and corrective actions for management officials.
• Partnering with leadership to improve policy, procedures, and examination quality across operations.
• Designing and delivering legal and technical training to enhance staff expertise and performance.

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 Attorney Series, 0905.

Specialized Experienceis 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/legal experience as listed below:

Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Experience applying trademark law, policy, practice, and procedure relating to the examination of applications for trademark registration; and
• Experience recommending changes to trademark policy and procedures; and
• Experience developing, preparing, and presenting legal trainings in a variety of formats and to a variety of audiences.

AND

Applicants must possess a minimum of four (4) years of professional law/legal experience, post J.D. as described below:

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 characterized by breadth and depth of experience in rendering professional legal advice and services with respect to questions, regulations, practices, or other matters falling within the purview of a Federal government agency, private sector, law firm, or other organization; preparing interpretative and administrative orders, rules, or regulations to give effect to the provisions of governing statutes or other requirements of law; drafting, negotiating, or examining contracts or other legal documents; drafting, preparing formal comments, or making substantive recommendations regarding proposed legislation; editing and preparing for publication statutes enacted by Congress and opinions or decisions of a court, commission, or board; drafting and reviewing decisions for consideration and adoption by an organization or official; conducting investigations to obtain facts; determines questions of law; studies, analyzes and evaluates legal precedents, to present findings. Legal work is described as extremely complex and difficult and requires a high order of original and creative legal endeavor in balancing conflicting interests; has broad or wide-scope impact on an economy, industry, private or public interests; and may involve directly or indirectly very large sums of money. Work may also involve acting as principal attorney in charge of the preparation and presentation of cases; recommending policies and developing procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation; and acting as legal, general or senior counsel to a major firm or organization.

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.