- Position Title
- General Attorney (Information Law)
- Agency
- Patent and Trademark Office
- Announcement Number
- TMCO-OGLW-23-11850580-EX Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Wednesday, March 29, 2023 to Tuesday, April 11, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
2.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
- you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
- you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent. For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
3.
Are you a current or former Federal employee displaced from a position in a Federal agency other than the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
- you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
- you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent. For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
Preferences
1.
How did you hear about USPTO Job possibilities? (No Choice Limit)
2.
Have you held a political appointment within the previous five-year period?
3.
If you are a current or former Federal civilian employee, by what agency/office or Department of Commerce bureau are you employed?
4.
If you answered "Other" to the above question, please enter the agency and organization.
Assessment 1
INSTRUCTIONS: Thank you for your interest in the General Attorney position with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Your resume and the responses you provide will be used to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification. Please review your responses for accuracy before you submit your application.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
In order to qualify for this position at the GS-15 level, you must possess at least one (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the next lower grade level AND four (4) years of Professional Legal/Law Experience, Post J.D.
Specialized experience is defined as:
Experience advising clients and/or representing clients in litigation, drafting memoranda of fact and law, motions, pleadings, litigation reports and other legal documents, and/or reviewing policies, procedures and other agency publications for legal sufficiency.
AND
Professional Legal/Law Experience: is 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. This experience is characterized by breadth and depth of experience in one or more of 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; investigating matters, such as related to Congressional or Inspector General inquiries; 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; determining answers to questions of law; and/or studying, analyzing and evaluating legal precedents to present findings. Qualifying legal work must be 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. Qualifying legal 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.
Do you possess at least one (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the next lower grade level AND three (3) years of the Professional Legal/Law Experience, Post JD for this position?
Specialized experience is defined as:
Experience advising clients and/or representing clients in litigation, drafting memoranda of fact and law, motions, pleadings, litigation reports and other legal documents, and/or reviewing policies, procedures and other agency publications for legal sufficiency.
AND
Professional Legal/Law Experience: is 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. This experience is characterized by breadth and depth of experience in one or more of 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; investigating matters, such as related to Congressional or Inspector General inquiries; 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; determining answers to questions of law; and/or studying, analyzing and evaluating legal precedents to present findings. Qualifying legal work must be 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. Qualifying legal 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.
Do you possess at least one (1) year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the next lower grade level AND three (3) years of the Professional Legal/Law Experience, Post JD for this position?
2.
Are you an active member in good standing of a bar of a State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution?
3.
Do you possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree from an ABA accredited law school?
4.
STATEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING - "I understand that if selected for this position, when regular USPTO operations resume, I will be eligible to work remotely from any location in the fifty United States (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico), with a duty station of Alexandria, Va. If I work remotely from a location that is more than 50 miles from USPTO's Alexandria, Va. headquarters, then I will be required to report to USPTO's Alexandria, Va., headquarters two days per biweek in order to maintain the Alexandria, Va. duty station."