General Attorney (Information Law)

If you're an attorney with expertise on information law matters, such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act, this might be your next career move! We're seeking General Attorney (Information Law) in the Office of the General Counsel, Office of General Law. The selected attorney will work with a team of professionals to manage the USPTO's FOIA and Privacy Act request programs, defend the USPTO in FOIA/Privacy Act litigation, provide training to clients, and provide as-needed legal support on other information law topics.

Duties

The individual selected for this position will…

• Provide legal support and program management for USPTO's FOIA and Privacy Act request programs, working closely with other OGL attorneys and USPTO FOIA Officers; this will involve first-hand involvement with FOIA and Privacy Act requests, working with e-discovery software, and coordinating with records custodians.
• Lead USPTO's representation in FOIA and Privacy Act litigation in coordination with the Department of Justice.
• Provide expert advice to all levels of management and fellow support organizations on a wide array of information law topics, such as records management, applying privileges, responding to third-party subpoenas, evaluating social media issues, publishing data, and other disclosure issues.
• Thoughtfully analyze proposed and existing USPTO policies and procedures related to information law; develop and train on agency-wide programs related to FOIA, the Privacy Act, and other information law topics.
• Possess top-notch oral and written communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and a commitment to improvement.
• Demonstrate initiative and creativity; the ability to set, manage, and balance evolving and challenging projects and priorities; and outstanding legal research skills.
• Be a flexible teammate, willing to support OGL's other general law functions as needed by providing legal advice and litigation services in other disciplines.

>> APPLY on USAJOBS by 6/25/2026

>> LEARN MORE about the USPTO's comprehensive benefits

Qualifications

You must possess at least (1) one-year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the federal service AND at least (4) four-years of professional legal/law experience post J.D. performing attorney duties as defined below:

Specialized experience for this position includes

• Experience working directly in a FOIA or Privacy Act request program (either at the initial request level, appeals level, or litigation level); or advising in a field of federal information law, which may include FOIA, privacy, records management, or other information disclosure area.

AND

In addition to the required one-year specialized experience, applicants must possess four (4) years of Professional Legal/Law experience post J.D. performing attorney duties as defined on the job announcement under the "Qualifications" section.

Education

You must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or Master of Laws (L.L.M) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school and an active bar membership of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution.

Conditions of employment

Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals and your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies. If selected, you will be required to pass a background investigation.

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

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.