Paralegal Specialist

Clarification from the agency

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL), Federal employees - Competitive service, Individuals with disabilities, Military spouses, Veterans; Applications will be accepted from current Federal employees serving on career or career-conditional appointment in the Competitive Service, former Federal employees with reinstatement eligibility, persons eligible under special hiring authorities including Schedule A and VEOA, and CTAP/ICTAP eligible candidates in the local commuting area.

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.

The individual selected for this position will...

• Research cited authorities in party filings; use standard citators to validate and analyze case law and secondary sources; assess validity, applicability, and precedential value; draft concise summaries and recommended actions; and escalate novel or anomalous issues consistent with agency guidance.
• Review and edit legal documents for conformance with applicable laws, rules, and agency procedures; verify citation accuracy; ensure overall document quality; and apply updates resulting from changes in statutes, regulations, and procedural rules.
• Receive and take interlocutory action on stipulated and uncontested motions; grant routine extensions of time within delegated authority; and draft orders on non-dispositive matters, preparing recommendations on suspensions or consolidations for attorney review where warranted.
• Manage case files and dockets by receiving, reviewing, and docketing evidence and testimony; ensuring the completeness and accuracy of records; correcting identified deficiencies; and preparing records for the summary judgment, oral hearing, and decision stages.
• Examine and process ex parte appeals by verifying ripeness and formalities; instituting appeals within delegated authority; and taking interlocutory actions during the appeal (e.g., suspension, disposal, or remand) in accordance with agency guidance.
• Communicate clearly with internal and external stakeholders to explain routine procedural requirements; prepare periodic status updates and reports on actions, case types, and case status; and contribute to team cross training and process improvement activities within established guidelines.

Conditions of employment

• Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
• Suitable for Federal Employment.

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. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Paralegal Specialist Series 0950Specialized 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-09:
For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-07

• Experience analyzing and applying laws, rules, and policies and procedures while reviewing incoming legal documents and communications.
• Experience providing case management support for attorneys and other legal staff on routine matters involving intellectual property law, including verifying the completeness and accuracy of case records and identifying deficiencies.

OR

Education can be substituted at the GS-09 level if the below is met:

Master's or equivalent graduate degree

or

2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree

or

LL.B. or J.D., if related

GS-11:
For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-09

• Experience independently drafting litigation documents involving intellectual property law, including analyzing and applying laws, rules, and policies and procedures, and making determinations on incoming legal documents and communications.
• Experience independently providing end-to-end case management support for attorneys and other legal staff on routine and non-routine matters involving intellectual property law, including verifying the completeness and accuracy of case records and taking action to correct deficiencies.
• Experience demonstrating strong oral and written communication skills while drafting legal documents and responding to internal and external stakeholders.

OR

Education can be substituted at the GS-11 level if the below is met:

Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. with a major study in electrical or electronic engineering, mathematics, physics, public utilities, statistics, computer science, telecommunications management, information systems management, business administration, industrial management, or other fields related to the position to be filled. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.)

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you've answered, which may affect your overall final score.

Please click the link below to preview the Assessment Questionnaire:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13073036

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, retaliation for engaging in protected activity, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity via email (oeeo@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).

A complete application consists of:

• Resume: All applicants are required to submit a two-page resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES). Resumes exceeding this limit will not be considered eligible. Please submit only one resume. Only the document uploaded under the "Resume "section as the "Document Type" will be reviewed to assess your qualifications and for evaluation purposes. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year (MM/YY - MM/YY) and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Resume should clearly state your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section.
• Professional or Academic References: Provide 2-3 professional/academic references (name, phone, email); one must be your current supervisor. We'll notify you before contacting them.
• Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent (NON AWARDSF-50), "Notification of Personnel Action" so that we may verify your time-in-grade.

Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.

Supporting Documents:

1. Performance Appraisal: Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record and copy of incentive award(s). In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide explanation of the reasons.

2. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documents: If you are a Veteran claiming eligibility under VEOA, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214. Veterans must include dates of military service on their application materials and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more info, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans.

3. CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice);
2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location;
3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and 4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.

4. ICTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents:

1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination, certification from your former agency that it cannot place you after your recovery from a work-related compensable injury; or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", documenting your RIF separation, noting your position, grade/band level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
4. Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

5. Special Appointing Authorities: If you are applying under a special appointing authority (i.e., Schedule A, disabled veterans, or certain military spouses, NOAA Corps), you will be asked to submit documents showing eligibility to non-competitively apply under Merit Assignment announcements. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking on your application. For more info on non-competitive appointments and supporting documents, please visit Federal Employment of People with Disabilities or Feds Hire Vets - Special Hiring Authorities.Documentation supporting NOAA Commissioned Corps: NOAA Form 56-16 or other documentation supporting active duty in NOAA Corps.

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