Summary
As an International Copyright legal and policy analyst and liaison, the employee is responsible for performing a variety of legal activities regarding legislation and the legal impact on intellectual property matters, agency policy, strategic planning, international treaty obligations and agreements, and the USPTO, Department of Commerce, and various stakeholders.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from all U.S. Citizens or Nationals.
Duties
The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria,Virginia.This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy.
This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy.
- This position is eligible for telework up to 04 day(s) per week (subject to operational needs) and reports to USPTO's Alexandria, VA headquarters for the remaining days in the week.
- If selected for an interview, applicants are encouraged to discuss telework options and eligibility specific to the position in which they applied with the hiring manager.
This position is located in the Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA), United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
As an international copyright attorney-advisor this position will be responsible for:
- Assisting the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the USPTO in advising the President, through the Secretary of Commerce and Federal agencies, on domestic and international intellectual property issues as well as U.S. treaty obligations.
- Rendering legal advice and guidance, as well as technical assistance and analysis involving copyright law on an international scale regarding obligations in bilateral and multilateral treaties and trade agreements and implementation of those obligations.
- Preparing briefing materials, papers, analyses, and testimony, as needed for the Under Secretary and other senior USPTO officials and Department of Commerce officials with respect to legislative items or policy initiatives on which the USPTO is requested to testify.
- Supporting the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Department of State and other U.S. Government agencies in international negotiations and consultations, and assists with the drafting, reviewing, and implementation of intellectual property obligations in bilateral and multilateral treaties and trade agreements.
- Keeping senior management apprised of all action on pending legislation, regulatory developments, or policy discussions of interest to the USPTO for which the incumbent has been assigned responsibility.
- Providing and participating in technical assistance and capacity-building programs and conferences to foreign governments seeking to develop or improve their intellectual property laws and regulations; and to improve the level of expertise of those responsible for intellectual property rights enforcement and the overall environment for enforcement.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Applicants will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
- You must meet the definition of specialized and professional experience.
- Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Suitable for Federal employment.
- If selected, you may be required to complete a two-year trial period.
- You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
- You must obtain and maintain a Secret Clearance.
- You must possess a Law Degree and an active bar membership of any state.
Qualifications
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.
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.
Specialized experience for this position includes:
GS-14: Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-13 grade level in the Federal service in the following:
- Experience in providing legal or policy advice on copyright law or legislation.
- Experience in performing legal research, including case law, statutory analysis, and legislative history.
- Experience in interpreting, applying, evaluating, analyzing, and assessing domestic or international copyright laws, policy, and principles.
- Experience in conveying legal analysis and information orally and in writing through legal memos or briefs, consultations, or other presentations.
GS-15: Candidates for the GS-15 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-14 grade level in the Federal service in the following:
- Experience in independently providing legal or policy advice on copyright law or legislation.
- Experience in independently performing legal research, including case law, statutory analysis, and legislative history.
- Experience in independently interpreting, applying, evaluating, analyzing, and assessing domestic or international copyright laws, policy, and principles.
- Experience in independently conveying legal analysis and information orally and in writing through legal memos or briefs, consultations, or other presentations.
Professional Legal Experience: In addition to the required specialized experience, applicants must possess the following professional law/legal experience listed below:
GS-14: 3 years of professional legal experience, post JD.
GS-15: 4 years of professional legal experience, post JD.
*Professional Legal experienceis experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. 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 organizations; preparing interpretive 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; determining questions of law; and studying, analyzing, and evaluating legal precedents-to present findings.
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.
Education
The education requirement for this position is a conferred Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Masters of Laws (L.L.B). from an accredited college or university.
You are required to submit a copy of your law degree transcripts prior to the close of this vacancy announcement.
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.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume.
Please Note: Writing samples may be requested prior to being interviewed.
Your resume and any other supporting documentation will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you.
Please click the link below to preview the Assessment Questionnaire:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12548969
Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
Required Documents
A complete application consists of the following Supporting Documents:
1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including titles, salary, employment dates, duties, experience and how it relates to the specialized experience in the job announcement.
2. Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your law school transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are accepted, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirement. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
3. Bar Membership Documentation: You MUST submit documentation showing that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. Examples of acceptable bar documentation may include one of the following: 1) Copy of Bar Card; 2) Screen shot of state of licensure with your name identified; 3) Copy of Certificate of Good Standing.
4. Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable: Positions are in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the USPTO considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor consideration in the hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with the supporting documentation, e.g., SF-15, DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation. You may also find more information on positive consideration for attorney hiring.
You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.
Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement. NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.
How to Apply
You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.
If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application."
If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth.
Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:
1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
4. Selected or Not Selected
After all application packages have been received, we will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and you may be contacted for follow-up supplemental documentation. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide any supplemental documents or information requested by the Office of Human Resources within the allocated timeframes.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).You can check the status of your application by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJobs Account, editing your profile and changing the "Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within 2 weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
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