Intellectual Property Practice Assistant

A premier international Am Law 100 firm known for advising Fortune 500 companies, private equity sponsors, financial institutions, and technology leaders is seeking an Intellectual Property Practice Assistant to support a group of IP prosecution attorneys. Firm provides robust technology platforms, administrative support, and growth potential.

Primary responsibilities:

• Assumes responsibility for ensuring the efficient daily administrative tasks and support to the attorneys and patent agents in the Intellectual Property Practice Section.
• Responsibilities including creating shells for Office Action responses, preparation and electronic filing of responses, and assisting with other submissions and documents as required by the USPTO.
• Review timekeeper docket reports and maintain docket notes to keep IP timekeepers abreast of upcoming deadlines and their respective status.
• Report communications from the USPTO to attorneys and clients and ensure prompt responses to inquiries.
• Research, generate, and update case status reports and IP schedules for clients, attorneys, and other IP timekeepers.
• Access and research a variety of patent databases.
• Open new matters, review and edit client bills, screen calls and emails, process expense reports, submit check requests, process invoices, handle travel arrangements, and maintain electronic files.
• Assist with secretarial coverage when IP legal secretaries are unexpectedly out or on vacation.
• Demonstrates mastery of the Firm's Microsoft Office system by producing a variety of documents from various source materials.
• Composes routine correspondence and non-routine correspondence for attorney review as requested.
• Provides administrative support to assigned legal team by ensuring the organization of workflow, files, and recordkeeping, including preparation of timesheets and client bills, expense reports, and the processing of incoming and outgoing mail and overnight deliveries.
• Assists in organizing work schedule by maintaining calendar, scheduling appointments and coordinating travel arrangements.

Qualifications:

• 5 years of legal secretarial experience in patent prosecution required and in-depth knowledge of USPTO rules and regulations.
• Maintain a thorough knowledge and understanding of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rules and regulations and the filing procedures for all aspects of U.S. patent prosecution and international prosecution.
• Tech savvy with advanced-level MS Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat skills required.