Director for Trademark Petitions

USPTO; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) seeks a Director for the Office of Petitions. This role involves overseeing a high-level legal team and providing counsel on trademark matters. The Director will play a crucial part in developing practices and addressing petitions under statutory authority.

Applicants must possess a law degree and significant experience in trademark law. The position is based in Alexandria, Virginia. USPTO is committed to diversity and equal opportunity in employment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to impact agency/program quality.
• Experience with examination guidelines and legal procedures.

Responsibilities

• Oversee high-level attorney-advisors and paralegals.
• Provide legal counsel on trademark regulations.
• Determine outcomes for petitions under authority.
• Write responses to inquiries regarding trademarks.

Skills

Planning and executing high-level programs

Legal advice on trademark laws

Legal collaboration on trademark programs

Education

Law degree from an accredited law school

Job description

Do you believe in preserving an effective and secure trademark register and want to work with us to protect our trademark community? We have an exciting opportunity for you! If you're ready to take on this rewarding and challenging career, come join our team as the Director of the Office of Petitions and support our ongoing efforts to provide consistent, high-quality and timely trademark services.

Duties

As Director for Trademark Petitions, you'll:

• Oversee the activities and resources of a high-level team of attorney-advisors, and paralegals within the Trademarks Petitions and Liaison Office.
• Be responsible for the development and formulation of new petition practices and procedures as well as revising existing practices, procedures and associated training material.
• Provide legal counsel to senior leadership on complex, controversial, and visible legal matters and be involved in the cutting edge of drafting, interpretation, and application of Trademark regulations, orders opinions or other legal instruments.
• Provide expert analysis and application of the substantive and procedural aspects of controlling Trademark statues, regulations and case laws that impacts the agency.
• Play a critical role in determining whether to grant or deny petitions seeking equitable relief under the delegated authority of the USPTO Director and the Commissioner for Trademarks, as well as whether to forward evidence contained in Letters of Protest to examination.
• Provide high-quality written responses to Members of Congress, federal and state agencies, and the public regarding trademark inquiries.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to the position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified.

• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute high-level programs and/or projects that are highly specialized and impact the agency or organization level. This includes establishing vision and strategy, making decisions and influencing others, and directly affecting the quality of program or project outcomes.
• Experience providing legal advice and guidance on trademark laws, examination guidelines and rules of practice, and examining procedures. Collaborates with legal professionals by providing expertise knowledge in trademark programs and activities, to support the development of trademark IT systems.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs).

Education

The candidate must have a law degree from an accredited law school program and must be a member of a bar in good standing, in the United States or a Territory of the United States.

Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen or a National. If selected, you will be required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.

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.