Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO Forum

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:09 am

The job is posted again on Usajobs for March 2022 start

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 05, 2021 6:25 pm

After reaching out to the hr person listed on the job posting, I received the rejection email "referred not selected."

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:01 pm

I just got a rejection e-mail today (after interviewing for the second time). Should I apply again? I've applied and interviewed twice already.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 05, 2021 10:16 pm

What happened to February?! What a colossal waste of 150+ (over)qualified people's time.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 05, 2021 11:22 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Oct 05, 2021 8:01 pm
I just got a rejection e-mail today (after interviewing for the second time). Should I apply again? I've applied and interviewed twice already.
When was the first time you interviewed? If you are passionate about the position, you should apply again. It doesn’t hurt.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Oct 06, 2021 9:57 am

Got an interview in early 2020, but didn't even get that far this time around. Exceedingly disappointed as I was barely out of law school the first time and now I have IP experience and there's a shortage on examiners. Will try again. Incredibly frustrated that the process takes several months.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 07, 2021 10:40 am

So there's no February 2022 class anymore? This is all very confusing. I'll try again. This will be the 3rd time applying; I've interviewed both previous times I've applied.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:14 pm

When one of the few people who received offers begins work on Oct. 25, can you please let us know whether they hired 25 or 50 people? I was told at my interview that they were hiring "at least 50 people," out of 180 interviewed, but that was supposed to be for two classes.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 12, 2021 5:51 pm

if you want it, apply again. many on here after applied multiple times before getting an offer.

in many ways, especially work/life balance, uspto is a great place to work. Especially excellent if you want telework and you want to move out of DC area.

I interviewed and did not get selected. What they are looking for who knows? the interview is not that in depth. Maybe they just like spending time interviewing. I just cannot imagine they did not have sufficient qualified candidates. There is an age bias. not cool for feds.

I am mad at myself because I failed to apply for something else distracted with pto possibility,

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:40 pm

I interviewed several years ago for this position and am thinking about applying again for the recent USAJobs posting. Could anyone who interviewed recently tell me if their interview was in-person or Zoom? Was it a panel of managers or just 1 on 1?

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Oct 15, 2021 8:56 am

It was over zoom with a panel of about 6 managers

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Oct 15, 2021 3:41 pm

If there are any current examiners lurking in this thread, I'd appreciate an update on how things are going under the Performance Appraisal Plan--fewer Outstanding ratings, unpaid overtime, no longer any semblance of the work/life balance advertised in the job ads, low morale, etc. I'd also be interested in whether people have been recently let go during the probation period.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 19, 2021 1:35 pm

AFAIK, ~60 examiners hired to start 10/25 and ~40 will be selected for March.

Recently some adjustments were made to the performance appraisal plan. The most beneficial change for new hires is slightly reduced production goals for Gs11s and 12s. Unpaid overtime is personal; if you can’t meet production goals during regular time then your only option is unpaid overtime. Work/life balance is great. Might take some time for new hires to find that balance because of the steep learning curve but it exists. I do my 80hrs per biweek without expectation for more. Tough to get a read on morale since mostly everyone is teleworking now. This all is based on my own experience/opinions.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 19, 2021 3:35 pm

does anyone know whether they will be offering teleworking during the probation period next year?

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Oct 26, 2021 6:01 pm

Current examiner here, there is a new revamped training regimen coming for the March class that lasts a full year and will be fully remote. Also imo the reduction in production requirements for the new first years is pretty significant. Its still a fantastic job and I would not hesitant to apply again.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:47 pm

Hi -

for the first time applying to this role I got a rating and not a request for written response. The rating was tentatively eligible. I used the same Resume as I did previously in the year and I got a written response request for the class that is currently hired.

Did this happen to anyone else?

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:01 pm

Just got the email saying I've been referred to the hiring manager. Im assuming this process still has a long ways to go?

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 10, 2021 1:21 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 6:18 pm
Above poster for the 5 reasons. To answer the cheating question, it is too hard to explain to people outside of the PTO. There are ways to cheat within the system of assignments. Unfortunately, more experienced attorneys have told others to cheat this way in order to meet numbers and not get fired. It’s passed down.
I'm idly curious how that works. I know that in eDiscovery (i.e. doc review), people often "batch shop" for easy batches to keep their numbers up.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:42 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:32 pm

I completely disagree with this person. I've been here a year now, and it is fantastic. I only know one person who was let go-- I asked them why and I found out that the quality of their work was very sub-par. They were unable to improve within the year. They just didn't understand how to apply trademark law.
I'm curious what sort of quality issues would cause someone to be dismissed after their first year. The production pace is what everyone seems to talk about.

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Wed Nov 10, 2021 11:27 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:47 pm
Hi -

for the first time applying to this role I got a rating and not a request for written response. The rating was tentatively eligible. I used the same Resume as I did previously in the year and I got a written response request for the class that is currently hired.

Did this happen to anyone else?
yeah i got tentatively eligible with no request for written response as well

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:12 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:42 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:32 pm

I completely disagree with this person. I've been here a year now, and it is fantastic. I only know one person who was let go-- I asked them why and I found out that the quality of their work was very sub-par. They were unable to improve within the year. They just didn't understand how to apply trademark law.
I'm curious what sort of quality issues would cause someone to be dismissed after their first year. The production pace is what everyone seems to talk about.
Reading the quoted portion for the second time, I keep shaking my head. How can a thirty minute conversation possibly reveal someone's ability to do this job, especially when the hiring managers seem to prefer people who smile and say they just want to help to people who ask specific, substantive questions?

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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:43 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:12 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:42 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:32 pm

I completely disagree with this person. I've been here a year now, and it is fantastic. I only know one person who was let go-- I asked them why and I found out that the quality of their work was very sub-par. They were unable to improve within the year. They just didn't understand how to apply trademark law.
I'm curious what sort of quality issues would cause someone to be dismissed after their first year. The production pace is what everyone seems to talk about.
Reading the quoted portion for the second time, I keep shaking my head. How can a thirty minute conversation possibly reveal someone's ability to do this job, especially when the hiring managers seem to prefer people who smile and say they just want to help to people who ask specific, substantive questions?
For this sort of job, I think maybe some kind of actual writing test would be better than interviews - since all they supposedly care about is PRODUCTION PRODUCTION PRODUCTION. There are people that interview well and perform badly, and vice versa.

I hear that the Board of Veterans Appeals has something kind of writing test now. Maybe USPTO could give you a few selections from the TMEP to read through, a "toy" trademark application example with a handful of issues, and a set amount of time to write an office action or something. Can you IRAC??

Anonymous User
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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Fri Nov 12, 2021 2:45 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 11:27 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Tue Nov 09, 2021 5:47 pm
Hi -

for the first time applying to this role I got a rating and not a request for written response. The rating was tentatively eligible. I used the same Resume as I did previously in the year and I got a written response request for the class that is currently hired.

Did this happen to anyone else?
yeah i got tentatively eligible with no request for written response as well
I also confirm that I recently received a referral and a note of tentative eligibility. I did not receive a request for a written response. This is my third time applying, so it is my speculation that they may be using my previous written response since it was submitted for the Fall 2021 hiring class.

Anonymous User
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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Nov 13, 2021 11:36 am

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:43 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:12 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:42 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:32 pm

I completely disagree with this person. I've been here a year now, and it is fantastic. I only know one person who was let go-- I asked them why and I found out that the quality of their work was very sub-par. They were unable to improve within the year. They just didn't understand how to apply trademark law.
I'm curious what sort of quality issues would cause someone to be dismissed after their first year. The production pace is what everyone seems to talk about.
Reading the quoted portion for the second time, I keep shaking my head. How can a thirty minute conversation possibly reveal someone's ability to do this job, especially when the hiring managers seem to prefer people who smile and say they just want to help to people who ask specific, substantive questions?
For this sort of job, I think maybe some kind of actual writing test would be better than interviews - since all they supposedly care about is PRODUCTION PRODUCTION PRODUCTION. There are people that interview well and perform badly, and vice versa.

I hear that the Board of Veterans Appeals has something kind of writing test now. Maybe USPTO could give you a few selections from the TMEP to read through, a "toy" trademark application example with a handful of issues, and a set amount of time to write an office action or something. Can you IRAC??
Current BVA atty here and stumbled upon this forum. Yes, BVA has a writing test…they give you 1 hour to complete the written exercise and submit. If you submit after 1 hr, you are disqualified automatically.

Anonymous User
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Re: Attorney Advisor (Trademark Examining Attorney) for USPTO

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Nov 13, 2021 11:22 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 2:43 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:12 am
Anonymous User wrote:
Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:42 pm
Anonymous User wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:32 pm

I completely disagree with this person. I've been here a year now, and it is fantastic. I only know one person who was let go-- I asked them why and I found out that the quality of their work was very sub-par. They were unable to improve within the year. They just didn't understand how to apply trademark law.
I'm curious what sort of quality issues would cause someone to be dismissed after their first year. The production pace is what everyone seems to talk about.
Reading the quoted portion for the second time, I keep shaking my head. How can a thirty minute conversation possibly reveal someone's ability to do this job, especially when the hiring managers seem to prefer people who smile and say they just want to help to people who ask specific, substantive questions?
For this sort of job, I think maybe some kind of actual writing test would be better than interviews - since all they supposedly care about is PRODUCTION PRODUCTION PRODUCTION. There are people that interview well and perform badly, and vice versa.

I hear that the Board of Veterans Appeals has something kind of writing test now. Maybe USPTO could give you a few selections from the TMEP to read through, a "toy" trademark application example with a handful of issues, and a set amount of time to write an office action or something. Can you IRAC??
I really wish they did this in lieu of the knowledge, skills, and abilities questions or in addition to the interview. One interviewer said "this isn't a writing job," and I wanted to ask, "What, then, is the means by which Office Actions are completed?" smh

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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