Paralegal Specialist

Summary This position is located in the Office of the Solicitor for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and provides litigation support in defense of Agency decisions related to patent operations. This office provides legal counsel to the USPTO Director and his staff and represents the Director before the Federal Courts. Duties This vacancy has been amended to extend the closing date to December 11, 2025. The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy. This role is the ideal next career step for you: If you enjoy providing litigation case management support for federal district court and appeals court cases involving extensive agency records, discovery procedures, court exhibits, and witnesses. If you have a passion for conducting legal research in law libraries and on computer databases such as WESTLAW, PACER, and other online sources to obtain information and materials requested by/for attorneys. If you are excited about communicating with members of the public, attorneys, agents, various courts, other agencies, Federal and state law enforcement offices, witnesses and potential witnesses. Requirements 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. 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: Qualification Standard for Paralegal Specialist. 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-11. Specialized experience for this position includes: Experience providing litigation case management involving intellectual property (patent/trademark law) which includes preparing for and attending trials, conducting legal research, and drafting legal correspondence such as pleadings, motions, and docketing statements. 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 EDUCATION CANNOT BE SUBSTITUTED FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THIS GRADE LEVEL. Additional information If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information. This is a Bargaining Unit position and represented by The National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 2318 (NTEU 243). Additional information about this bargaining unit may be obtained at http://www.nteu.org or by email to [email protected]. If selected for this position, you may be required to complete the Fair Credit Act Memo, which gives consent so that one or more consumer credit reports may be obtained for employment purposes. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "moderate". Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the 'Required Documents' section of this announcement. More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued. All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at USPTO Reasonable Accommodation. 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 ([email protected]) or phone (571-272-8292). Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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.