Senior Counsel for Patent & Trademark Disciplin...

Closing Date: 13th January, 2026

Description:

Summary:
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is seeking a Senior Counsel who will perform a variety of complex and sensitive assignments relating to patent and trademark disciplinary matters that affect the livelihood of patent attorneys and agents throughout the United States and abroad. This position will serve as the technical expert on disciplinary matters and renders legal and policy advice through the General Counsel to the Under Secretary and Director of the USPTO.

Duties:
As the Senior Counsel for Patent and Trademark Disciplinary Matters, you will use your knowledge of and experience with investigating grievances related to attorney and agent misconduct to determine what disciplinary proceedings are appropriate, and suspending or excluding from practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) any practitioner found to be culpable of misconduct by violating USPTO Rules.

Additional duties and responsibilities of the Senior Counsel for Patent and Trademark Disciplinary Matters include, but are not limited to the following:

• Meeting with senior agency officials in connection with recommended decisions and responses to USPTO and the Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) policies.
• Overseeing the operations of the investigation, preparation, argument, and general conduct of the full range of highly technical and highly controversial disciplinary cases involving scientific, engineering, ethical and legal consideration.
• Contribute to USPTO's overall effort to increase compliance with U.S. patent and trademark law and regulations and thereby improve the accuracy of patent and trademark submissions to the USPTO.
• Representing the USPTO and OED before various committees and public and private sector groups.
• Coordinating and assigning cases for investigation.
• Safeguarding the integrity of the patent and trademark information.

Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:

• Refer to "Additional Information".
• Click "Print View" to review the entire announcement before applying.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• You are required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• If this is your first federal appointment, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period. Current federal service employees may be given a new appointment, and a new probationary period may be required.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.
• Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) will be required within the first 30 days of appointment.

Qualifications:
To meet the minimum requirements for a Senior Level position, candidates must be a recognized subject matter expert with directly related experience. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. Candidates must demonstrate their experience meets the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) for this position in their two-page resume and this experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show the candidate possesses the required subject matter expertise and technical qualifications set forth below.

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.

To be considered, the resume must not exceed two pages. Written narratives for the Professional Technical Qualifications are not required. Candidates must demonstrate their experience meets the Professional Technical Qualifications for this position in their two-page resume.

Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs):

• Knowledge of litigating and advising on highly controversial disciplinary cases involving misconduct by practitioners.
• Knowledge of the rule making process, including knowledge of the statutes and regulations governing the rule making process.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the PTQs.

Education:
Education Requirement: Must have successfully completed a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from an accredited educational institution; B.) Bar Membership: Must have a current active bar membership from any State, territory, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, or Federal Court.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov.

Additional Information:
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment (https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/OF0306.pdf), and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to

Males born after 12-31-1959 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)

OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Additional Information:
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: