Senior Patent Paralegal / NC / Fully Remote / 5050

Location: Fully Remote

Reports To: Administrative Partner
Experience Required: 8 years of patent paralegal experience, preferably in a law firm setting

Very competive compensation inclusive of preformance bounses. Flexible hours. Non beurocratic, production focused team environment. Here, you will be given the support, resources, and flexibility to be productive. A great place to be rewarded for your productivity and experience. This is within a well established and steadily growinglaw firm with an extensive, long-standing, and impressive roster of clients. A great place to make a long-term home.

[ Inquire at IP Recruiter Group website ]

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Patent Paralegal to serve as the central operational hub for this patent prosecution practice, with full responsibility for docketing accuracy, deadline management, and the end-to-end coordination of both US and foreign patent filings. This is an all-encompassing role requiring someone who can independently manage a complex, high-volume docket across multiple jurisdictions, work directly with foreign associates and agents worldwide, and serve as a trusted resource to attorneys, clients, and support staff alike. The ideal candidate has appropriate knowledge of USPTO practice, PCT procedure, and the practical realities of coordinating national phase entry and foreign prosecution across dozens of jurisdictions.

Key Responsibilities

Docketing & Deadline Management

• Own and maintain the firm's patent docket system (e.g., CPI/Anaqua, Patricia, FoundationIP, CPA Global/Clarivate, IPfolio, or similar) with full responsibility for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness
• Independently monitor and and verify all statutory, regulatory, and firm-imposed deadlines for US and foreign matters, including responses to Office Actions, issue fee payments, maintenance/annuity fees, PCT deadlines, national phase entry deadlines, and appeal deadlines
• Reconcile docket against USPTO Patent Center, EPO Online Filing, WIPO ePCT, and other national office portals on a recurring basis to catch discrepancies before they become problems
• Conduct periodic docket audits and generate status reports for attorneys and clients
• Manage docket transfers/onboarding when new matters or lateral attorney portfolios are brought into the firm
• Train and mentor junior paralegals and docket clerks on docketing procedures and best practices

[ Inquire at IP Recruiter Group website ]

US Prosecution Support

• Prepare, format, and file all manner of USPTO submissions via EFS-Web/Patent Center: new applications (utility, provisional, design, plant), Information Disclosure Statements, responses to Office Actions, RCEs, terminal disclaimers, appeals, petitions, assignments, and post-issuance matters (reissue, reexamination, IPR/PGR support)
• Monitor and manage patent term adjustment (PTA), patent term extension (PTE), and maintenance fee schedules
• Coordinate with attorneys on claim charts, IDS citation management, and prior art reference logging
• Handle formal drawings review and compliance checks prior to filing

Foreign Prosecution & PCT Management

• Manage the full PCT lifecycle: filing, international search/examination coordination, Chapter I/II elections, and national phase entry instructions across all designated jurisdictions
• Serve as the firm's primary point of contact for instructing and coordinating with foreign associates and local agents in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and other regions — issuing clear filing instructions, tracking acknowledgments, and following up on status
• Prepare and dispatch instruction letters for foreign filings, national phase entry, validations (including EPO unitary patent/UPC opt-outs where applicable), and responses to foreign office actions
• Track and manage foreign annuity/renewal payments
• Maintain working knowledge of filing requirements, formalities, and procedural nuances across major jurisdictions (EPO, JPO, CNIPA, KIPO, IP Australia, CIPO, INPI, etc.)
• Coordinate priority document retrieval and certified copy requests (including DAS/WIPO Digital Access Service)

Client & Case Management

• Serve as a direct liaison to clients on docketing status, deadline reporting, and portfolio management questions
• Prepare portfolio status reports, annuity/maintenance fee summaries, and filing budgets for client review
• Assist attorneys with invention disclosure intake, prior art searching coordination, and IP portfolio audits
• Manage assignment recordation (USPTO, foreign patent offices) and chain-of-title documentation

General & Administrative

• Maintain organized, audit-ready electronic and physical files in compliance with firm records retention policies
• Assist with new matter opening, conflicts checks, and engagement documentation
• Stay current on changes to USPTO rules, PCT regulations, and foreign filing requirements; proactively communicate rule changes affecting docket practices to the team
• Provide backup coverage and cross-training support across the docketing team to ensure continuity

[ Inquire at IP Recruiter Group website ]

Required Qualifications

• 8 years of patent paralegal experience in a law firm (in-house experience considered as a supplement, not a substitute)
• Demonstrated, substantial hands-on experience managing both US and foreign/PCT prosecution dockets — this is a core requirement, not a preference
• Direct experience corresponding with and instructing foreign associates/agents across multiple jurisdictions
• Expert-level proficiency with a major docketing platform (Anaqua, CPI, FoundationIP, Patricia, IPfolio, or equivalent)
• Appropriate working knowledge of USPTO Patent Center/EFS-Web, PCT/ePCT filing systems, and PAIR
• Thorough understanding of 35 U.S.C., 37 C.F.R., MPEP procedures, and PCT Applicant's Guide provisions relevant to docketing and deadline calculation
• Exceptional attention to detail and a demonstrated record of zero missed deadlines
• Strong written communication skills for drafting instruction letters and client-facing status reports
• Ability to manage a high-volume docket proactively and independently with minimal supervision

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with annuity payment service coordination (CPA Global, Dennemeyer, or similar)
• Familiarity with IP management/analytics tools and reporting dashboards
• Experience with UPC/Unitary Patent procedures
• Prior experience training or supervising junior docketing staff
• NALA, NFPA, or IPParalegal certification