Attorney Advisor IP Attache (Germany)

***This is a dream job if you love to travel, meet new people, get energized by challenging and creative work, and have a passion for public service!***

We're seeking an IP attorney advisor in Munich, Germany, as an Intellectual Property (IP) Attaché for the United States & Foreign Commercial Service (US&FS) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The position requires knowledge of all fields of IP and international agreements governing IP, including IP office operation and administration, IP training, and adherence to IP standards of protection and enforcement.

Initial tour of duty is two (2) years. Extension(s) in one (1) year increments up to the statutory maximum of five (5) years are possible, however, extensions are not guaranteed and no promise of an extension is implied

Duties:

The incumbent will act as a resource on the intellectual property regimes of the Germany and other countries in the European Union for other U.S. Government agencies. This position reports to the Senior Commercial Officer and the USPTO IP Attaché Program Director, and must coordinate with the Economics Section, other parts of the U.S. Consulate in Munich and the USPTO. The Attorney-Adviser provides authoritative advice and guidance to post senior and executive staff, other government agencies and U.S. companies; interpreting U.S. and host country laws, calling their attention to host country actions that may affect U.S. intellectual property policy and business concerns regarding complex legal issues, opinions specifically related to intellectual property rights, U.S. law, and the intellectual property infrastructure in the host country.

Typical duties performed include but are not limited to:

• Serves as an expert in intellectual property, as well as international trade, legislative procedures and executive branch decision making related to intellectual property.
• Promotes high standards of intellectual property protection and enforcement in host country and/or region. In doing so, the incumbent carries out U.S. objectives to promote improvements in patent, trademark and copyright legal systems internationally for the benefit of U.S. interests.
• The incumbent develops, in consultation with appropriate USPTO representatives, strategic plans for engaging countries in the region to improve their intellectual property regimes.
• Serves as the USPTO representative on U.S. delegations to international meetings on intellectual property to develop international agreements, revise existing agreements or address implementation of agreements or treaties.
• Responsible for program areas of international trade and intellectual property; and identifies and addresses impediments affecting the program areas.
• Exercises managerial authority over local staff.

Qualifications

All applicants must meet the following criteria:

To qualify for the FP 0905 1, (GS- 14 equivalency), you must have a minimum of four (4) years of general law practice and one (1) year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of a GS- 14 in the Federal Service. Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to clearly demonstrate the required professional law experience, specialized experience and knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of foreign and domestic intellectual property laws, the effect of U.S. political relationships and positions with respect to other countries on the protection of intellectual property internationally, foreign and domestic laws affecting the rights of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals and/or international agreements, treaties, etc., including business or economic matters affecting the same.
• Ability to prepare expert legal analysis on intellectual property issues developing in the host country and the region.
• Ability to express orally and in writing complex legal issues and interrelationships of public policy interests and issues impacting agency programs.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with high-level officials.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managing resources in a technical or legal organization.

Professional Legal/Law Experience for all attorneys:

Professional legal/law experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled. This experience is characterized by breadth and depth of experience in rendering professional legal advice and services with respect to questions, regulations, practices, or other matters falling within the purview of a Federal government agency, private sector, law firm, or other organization; preparing interpretative and administrative orders, rules, or regulations to give effect to the provisions of governing statutes or other requirements of law; drafting, negotiating, or examining contracts or other legal documents; drafting, preparing formal comments, or making substantive recommendations regarding proposed legislation; editing and preparing for publication statutes enacted by Congress and opinions or decisions of a court, commission, or board; drafting and reviewing decisions for consideration and adoption by an organization or official; conducting investigations to obtain facts; determining questions of law; studying, analyzing and evaluating legal precedents, to present findings. Legal work is described as extremely complex and difficult and requires a high order of original and creative legal endeavor in balancing conflicting interests; has broad or wide-scope impact on an economy, industry, private or public interests; and may involve directly or indirectly very large sums of money. Work may also involve acting as principal attorney in charge of the preparation and presentation of cases; recommending policies and developing procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation; and acting as legal, general or senior counsel to a major firm or organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Specialized Experience is defined as:

• Knowledge of all fields of Intellectual Property (IP) and international IP agreements,
• Assisting in and/or devising the correct strategy for resolving complex issues by applying sound knowledge of the fields of foreign policy, international trade and IP,
• Strong communication skills to liaise with local contacts and work closely with appropriate Embassy officials on developments. Ability to write a variety of documents including policy, speeches, talking points, briefs and options,
• Ability to provide succinct, timely and comprehensive reports, both orally and in writing,
• Provide guidance and assistance in negotiating on IP matters in bilateral and/or multilateral settings,
• Planning, organizing and/or executing training and outreach programs on complex IP issues,
• Experience in providing guidance and assistance on the basic principles governing protection of intellectual property, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, and/or treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in order to monitor foreign governments' implementation of trade agreements and to assess foreign governments' compliance with international trade obligations,
• Knowledge of U.S. statutes, regulations, decisions and policies and international arrangements pertaining to international trade and intellectual property to enable development of proposals or recommendations that may alter (e.g. improve property protection for U.S. interests) domestic and international law on international property or affect the role or operation of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO),
• Writing a variety of legal documents, including policy, speeches, testimonies, talking points, briefs, opinions, and
• Ability to supervise, manage, and oversee a subordinate staff engaged in legal work.

The full list of qualifications and requirements can be found on the USAJOBS posting.

Education

POSITIVE EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

You must have a graduate degree, with an LL.M. or J. D. from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association, or a State Accredited Law School, and be a current member in good standing of the bar of a State, Territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Conditions of Employment

Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals. If selected, you will be required to pass a background investigation.

The full list of conditions and qualifications can be found on the job announcement.

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.