Navigating Internships at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: A Comprehensive Guide

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as America’s Innovation Agency, offers a variety of internship and externship programs for students at different academic levels. These programs provide invaluable exposure to the world of intellectual property (IP) and a chance to jumpstart a unique career in protecting American innovation. From real-world experience to real-world application, these student programs have the future of innovation in mind.

USPTO Internship Programs: An Overview

The USPTO student programs are unique and include paid internships. Opportunities exist for high school, undergraduate, graduate, and law students to strengthen their IP knowledge and develop skills to help advance their careers. These programs offer a flexible time range (over the summer or during the school year, full time or part time) and a flexible location (virtual and in-person work opportunities available at our headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, or one of our regional offices in Dallas, Denver, Detroit, and San Jose). One thing all our programs have in common is that students work on real hands-on projects, gain valuable skills for their future careers, and make meaningful contributions to our agency.

Paid Internship Opportunities

As an intern at the USPTO, you will work on projects that make a real impact, while learning about the agency and its mission, networking with peers and our employees, and hearing directly from leadership about their career paths. If you have a passion for public service and you are ready to launch your career, join us.

USPTO Internship Program (Anthony Bowen)

This internship opportunity provides students who are enrolled in colleges, trade schools, and other qualifying institutions with paid opportunities to work and explore federal careers while completing their education. Assignments may include research, analysis, statistics, coordination of briefing books, assistance in developing detailed reports, and notetaking for events such as meetings, hearings, and legislative markup sessions. Paid interns are offered the opportunity to gain professional work experience, develop soft skills, gain exposure to IP, and gain experience working at the USPTO. Students from four-year or community colleges, trade schools, and other qualifying institutions can apply.

Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program

Operated by the Partnership for Public Service, the Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program places young talent at the USPTO and other federal agencies. The program aims to develop a diverse pool of young talent for these agencies. College sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate, and law students can apply.

Trademark Law Internship

The Trademark Law Internship is tailored for those interested in the trademark registration process. Some research may also touch upon international trademark law issues and related IP issues. The program allows students to experience work at the USPTO, interact with experts, explore opportunities, and enhance their personal and professional skills. You may work with attorneys in the Trademark Legal Policy and Petitions Office, Trademark Training and Quality Review Office, Office of the Solicitor, and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. This internship lasts up to 12 weeks during the summer. You may arrange to receive academic credit through your law school for your work at the USPTO. Look for the announcement of the application period for the summer internship program on USAJOBS toward the beginning of the year. Selections are generally made in the spring, and the program begins in the early summer. Additional internship positions may also become available throughout the year. Announcements for internships during the school year will be submitted to local law schools for posting. First and second year law students can apply.

Office of Policy & International Affairs (OPIA) Law Internship

The OPIA Law Internship gives interns the opportunity to engage in a meaningful experience with intellectual property (IP) attorneys in the Office of Policy and International Affairs at the USPTO in Alexandria, Virginia. You will work closely with senior IP leaders to formulate policy recommendations. You will also engage in research of foreign countries’ IP systems, complete IP-related projects, draft briefing materials, etc. Under the program, you will participate in an internship lasting 10-12 weeks during the summer or fall. You may arrange to receive academic credit through your law school for your work at the USPTO. Although this may vary, look for the announcement of the application period for the fall or summer internship program on USAJOBS toward early spring. Additional internship positions may also become available throughout the year. Announcements for internships during the school year will be provided to local law schools for posting. First and second year law students can apply.

Innovation Internship Program

A new innovation internship program has been launched to provide hands-on job training to community college and university students from diverse backgrounds, fields, and locations. These paid internships offer third year college students with an opportunity to earn an annual GS-4 salary and can last up to two years.

IP Skills Work-Based Learning Program

The year-round paid work-based learning (WBL) experience for high school students is conducted with the Urban Alliance and provides students with a living wage, exposure to career opportunities in federal service, mentoring, and invention and entrepreneurship education.

Extern Program

The unpaid, volunteer USPTO extern program provides talented high school, college, and law students with unique opportunities to gain valuable skills and professional experience. Through this program, externs learn more about various career paths at the USPTO, network with our employees and their peers, and hear first-hand from our leadership about their own career paths. The program also offers invaluable early exposure to the world of IP and a chance to jumpstart a unique career in protecting American innovation. The USPTO hires over 40 externs annually.

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Program Details

Although we generally run the extern program year-round, the summer season is when the majority of student volunteers take advantage of a full-time schedule to gain valuable tools, resources, and support ongoing professional development and soft skills training. The program duration can last a minimum of 12 weeks or up to a maximum of one year. We provide comprehensive, real-world connections to what students are learning in the classroom.

PTAB Law Clerks

The PTAB Judicial Law Clerk Program gives recent law school graduates and junior attorneys hands-on experience working with PTAB judges on America Invents Act (AIA) and PTAB trials and ex parte appeals for a one-year fixed term starting in September based out of the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include reviewing arguments and evidence of record, analyzing pertinent legal and technical issues, and recommending to PTAB judges how to resolve various issues. PTAB judicial law clerks also attend case conferences, observe oral arguments, and complete a variety of writing assignments, such as bench memoranda, opinions, orders, and summaries of prior art and technology.

Application Process and Requirements

To apply for USPTO internships, it's essential to monitor the USAJOBS website for announcements, typically posted early in the year for summer programs and in early spring for fall programs. Application deadlines vary based on the opportunity.

General Requirements

Regardless of the specific program, applicants should generally possess:

Strong academic credentials
Excellent research and writing skills
Attention to detail and deadlines
An interest in intellectual property law

Specific Program Requirements

Technical Background: Some internships, particularly those related to patent law, may require a STEM background.
Law Students: Law student internships often require applicants to be first or second-year law students.
Selective Service Registration: Male applicants may need to be registered with the Selective Service System.

Internships in Private Practice

In addition to opportunities at the USPTO, internships at private law firms specializing in intellectual property law offer valuable experience. These firms actively seek students with technical backgrounds and a passion for IP law.

Examples of Law Firm Internship Programs

Merchant & Gould: Their Summer Associate Program is open to first-year and second-year law students of all backgrounds and is designed to provide a stimulating and diverse educational experience for exceptional law students nationwide. Summer Associates are given significant projects and work closely with the assigning attorney. Job Qualifications/Technical Background Required: Mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, life sciences or related degrees.
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox: Sterne Kessler’s Summer Associate program is the primary source for our entry-level attorney class each year. It is our priority to present challenging responsibilities and opportunities to our Summer Associates in a hardworking, yet supportive atmosphere. 1L applications are reviewed from mid-November through January 31 every year. STEM background/patent bar eligibility needed for prosecution groups (Mechanical, Electronics, Biotech + Chemical).
Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck, P.C.: This firm values its attorneys and staff, fostering a tight-knit community passionate about intellectual property and technology law.
Wolf, Greenfield, & Sacks P.C.: Their summer program immerses participants in their work and culture, offering firsthand experience in intellectual property law.
Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.: The firm seeks current law students for its summer clerkship program, providing thorough exposure to patent prosecution. Applicants should be current law students and have a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. Equivalent degrees will be considered. Advanced degrees are a plus. Technical work experience is highly valued, especially industry experience in designing, developing, testing, or supporting software, hardware, or networking technologies.
Howard & Howard: Howard & Howard's Intellectual Property Law Intern Program differs from other law clerk programs by fully utilizing each intern’s engineering or other technical experience to understand and support our clients’ various technologies. A candidate for the intern program must have an engineering or equivalent technical degree. Some candidates begin as interns directly after earning that degree and before beginning law school, while others work in their respective engineering fields and enter law school prior to joining the program.

Application Materials

When applying to law firms, it is generally necessary to provide:

A cover letter
A resume
Unofficial law school/undergrad transcripts
A writing sample

Benefits of Interning at the USPTO

Interning at the USPTO offers numerous advantages, including:

Professional Work Experience: Interns gain practical experience in a federal agency.
Skill Development: Interns develop essential soft skills and enhance their analytical abilities.
Exposure to IP: Interns gain in-depth knowledge of intellectual property law and its applications.
Networking Opportunities: Interns connect with professionals in the field and build valuable relationships.
Career Advancement: Internships can lead to full-time employment opportunities at the USPTO or in the broader IP field.

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