Ip Paralegal

POSITION SUMMARY

The Intellectual Property (IP) Paralegal is responsible for supporting the company's intellectual property portfolio with a primary focus on patents and trademarks. This position manages domestic and international filing activities, coordinates with outside counsel, maintains IP records, monitors deadlines, and assists attorneys with protecting and enforcing the company's intellectual property rights. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and experienced in managing multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 

Essential Functions Statement(s)

• Manage the company's domestic and international patent and trademark portfolios, including prosecution, maintenance, renewals, and related intellectual property activities.
• Coordinate patent and trademark filings and correspondence with outside counsel, government agencies, and internal stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate IP docketing systems and monitor critical deadlines to ensure timely filings, renewals, maintenance fees, and other statutory requirements.
• Prepare, review, and process patent and trademark documents, including applications, assignments, declarations, powers of attorney, inventor documentation, and related legal forms.
• Coordinate invention disclosure submissions and maintain supporting records throughout the patent lifecycle.
• Maintain accurate intellectual property databases, legal files, and portfolio records.
• Generate reports, metrics, and portfolio analyses to support legal and business decision-making.
• Process invoices, assist with budgeting, and support the management of legal spend related to intellectual property matters.
• Support intellectual property due diligence, licensing, enforcement, audits, and other strategic legal initiatives.
• Collaborate with attorneys, clients and outside counsel to ensure effective portfolio management and compliance with applicable laws and company policies.
• Perform other legal, administrative, and project-related duties as assigned 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

Competency Statement(s)

• Integrity/Ethics - Deals with others in a straightforward and honest manner, is accountable for actions, maintains confidentiality, supports company values, conveys good news and bad.
• Communication - Communicates well both verbally and in writing, creates accurate and punctual reports, delivers presentations, shares information and ideas with others, has good listening skills.
• Interpersonal Skills - Has good listening skills, builds strong relationships, is flexible/open-minded, negotiates effectively, solicits performance feedback, and handles constructive criticism.
• Quality - Is attentive to detail and accuracy, is committed to excellence, looks for improvements continuously, monitors quality levels, finds root cause of quality problems, owns/acts on quality problems.
• Sense of Urgency - Prioritizes well, shows energy, reacts to opportunities, instills urgency in others, meets deadlines.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

Education: Associate’s degree in paralegal or legal studies or other related discipline is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and experience is required.

Experience: 

• Minimum of 3 years of experience as an IP paralegal supporting patents and trademarks.
• Experience with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) procedures.
• Experience coordinating with foreign associates on international filings.
• Knowledge of patent prosecution and trademark prosecution processes.
• Experience using IP docketing and management software.

Other Requirements: 

• Strong understanding of patent and trademark lifecycle management.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with attorneys, business teams, and outside counsel.
• High degree of professionalism and discretion when handling confidential information.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work environment is in a professional office setting. The majority of activity this role performs will be sedentary work.