Legal Assistant

Summary The Office of the Solicitor acts as legal counsel to the USPTO on intellectual property law matters and also works in collaboration with the Department of Commerce on interagency intellectual property law matters. The work is challenging, the atmosphere is professional, and the diverse attorneys enjoy a high quality of work life rarely found in the legal field. 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 located in the Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Solicitor. This role is the ideal next career step for you if: You are excited to use your skills to open and maintain litigation files in paper and/or electronic form; analyze and input case information; research online resources for case statuses and materials to update docket and case files; identify and resolve discrepancies or deficiencies in docket data and case file materials by correcting data and obtaining missing documents; and provide status updates to attorneys and paralegal specialists. You possess the knowledge to mail, deliver, email, or fax written materials upon request and to meet service requirements and deadlines. You are a collaborative relationship builder who is passionate about reviewing, reproducing, and binding briefs and other documents by utilizing various office equipment most appropriate to complete the task; checking for and correcting copying errors; ensuring continuity of form and adherence to Federal court filing rules and procedural guidelines; and ensuring proper functioning and operation of office equipment by filling paper in printers and copiers, completing preventive maintenance requirements and/or calling for repairs. You enjoy drafting, proofreading and editing documents, correspondence, forms, memoranda and other written materials in adherence to established guidelines, standard office policies and procedures. You are enthusiastic about preparing attorneys for court hearings and appearances by assembling and organizing briefs, case materials, and exhibits; preparing and distributing case materials for moot courts; organizing meetings and conferences and scheduling couriers. You have experience analyzing documents received from Federal district courts for completeness of information, identifying missing information and taking action to obtain complete information before processing via data entry portal. 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 Legal Assistance Series, 0986. 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-06. Specialized experience for this position includes: (1) Experience providing administrative legal support on federal district or federal appellate court cases; AND (2) Experience researching and retrieving relevant legal data using automated systems; AND (3) Experience drafting legal documents and correspondence using software applications. 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 As a general rule, education is not creditable above a GS-05 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position. 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. 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 243 (NTEU 243) 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.