Attorney Advisor (Section 337)

U.S. International Trade Commission; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. International Trade Commission seeks an attorney at the GS-15 level with substantial appellate IP experience and bar membership. The role focuses on district court and appellate litigation involving intellectual property and complex regulatory issues.

Applicants must maintain good standing as a member of the Bar in a U.S. state or territory, D.C., or Puerto Rico, and should be prepared to provide supporting documentation. A USPTO practice registration is preferred.

Qualifications

• Requires Bar membership in a U.S. state, D.C., or Puerto Rico.
• Fifth-year level experience with appellate IP matters and federal regulatory analysis.
• Experience in writing detailed legal documents and providing guidance to attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Provide sophisticated legal analysis on district court and appellate IP matters.
• Lead teams in researching authorities and precedents.
• Draft briefs, issue papers, and policy statements with recommendations.

Skills

Appellate litigation

Legal research

Policy writing

Leadership

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent Federal agency that provides the President and Congress with high-quality analysis and technical support on international trade, tariff and competitiveness issues; investigates and makes determinations in proceedings involving imports claimed to injure a domestic industry or violate U.S. intellectual property rights; and maintains the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.

In addition to the specialized experience and educational requirements above, applicants must currently be a member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In addition, it is preferred applicant be registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
You will be required to submit proof of your Bar membership as part of your application package to show that you meet this requirement. Any offer is contingent on receipt of a letter or certificate of good standing for each bar of which the applicant is an active member dated within 30 days of any offer.
Applicants must meet all of the qualification requirements, including education and any selective placement factors described below by the closing date of this announcement. Education may only be substituted in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must have the general and specialized experience outlined below that provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.
To qualify at the GS-15 level, applicants must have at least five years of experience that have provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position. This experience consist of the following: district court practice and/or appellate litigation concerning intellectual property; unfair trade investigations conducted under the authority of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930. This experience must consist of the following: one year of general experience, which is defined as professional legal experience of a broad, general nature, not requiring specialization or expertise in a specific area or type of law AND four (4) years of specialized experience which is defined as professional legal experience in areas such as: appellate litigation; overseeing and/or leading others in analyzing complex issues affecting federal regulatory matters and questions of law and fact and rendering opinions on such issues; directing and conducting in-depth, complex legal research on authorities and precedents on points of law; reviewing and analyzing pleadings and other position papers on controversial and complex issues; writing and directing others in writing detailed and complex documents including briefs, issue papers, reports, policy statements, and summaries with recommendations or conclusions (writing sample may be required during the second level review); and providing legal guidance to attorneys and other professionals related to international trade.