Paralegal Specialist

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. Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.

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.

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.
• If you look forward to drafting correspondence and a variety of legal documents, including pleadings, motions, and notices.

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 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 one year at 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, managing discovery documents, conducting legal research, cite-checking, preparing extensive administrative records, drafting correspondence and legal documents, such as pleadings, motions, and maintaining case dockets.

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.