IP Practice Assistant

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

The global law firm of K&L Gates LLP seeks an Intellectual Property (IP) Practice Assistant to join the Chicago office. The IP Practice Assistant is responsible for accurate and timely completion of all high level administrative and assistant work assigned by Partners and Senior Associates. Those in this role must observe confidentiality on all client matters and adhere to all procedures and guidelines set by the firm. The IP Practice Assistant provides considerable knowledge of legal procedures and terminology within particular practice areas along with the ability to follow complex instructions and work on his/her own initiative under limited supervision.

Essential Duties

• Performing complex legal secretarial activities that may be highly confidential or sensitive, requiring diplomacy and discretion
• Preparing, filing and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patents, U.S. and foreign trademarks and copyright applications
• Creating, editing, and proofreading letters, legal documents, and memos, including checking documents for content and context
• Organizing and maintaining all correspondence and documents using the relevant document management system
• Managing emails, calendar appointments, and client contact lists
• Scheduling meetings and coordinating all logistics
• Handling administrative aspects of U.S. patent prosecution
• Coordinating services with Global Shared Business Services
• Using internal library resources for external research as directed by timekeepers
• Managing physical and electronic files, including intake, retention, retrieval, and transfer of records
• Maintaining an organized and secured work station and filing areas
• Running critical document checks to ensure all files have been appropriately saved
• Importing electronic documents, including scanning documents into the document management system
• Coordinating entering, editing, and tracking daily time recording when required for assigned timekeepers
• Coordinating and preparing monthly client bills
• Preparing check requests and expense reports
• Opening files and conducting conflict checks
• Drafting patent documents and correspondence
• Processing and docketing for filing
• Managing calendar deadlines
• Assisting with preparing responses to office actions
• Assisting with patent searches
• Maintaining patent application files
• Coordinating, verifying, and obtaining appropriate approvals for all domestic and international travel arrangements with the firm’s travel provider and processing related business expense reimbursements
• Assisting clients with document revisions, faxing, or photo copying

Experience & Skills Required
• Must have at least 2-3 years of patent prosecution experience
• IP practice assistant experience
• Patent filing experience
• Experience with opening new matters, conflicts, time entry, bills and reimbursements
• Experience with domestic and foreign documents
• Significant experience in a similar role within a medium to large law or professional services firm working for senior lawyers/partners
• High proficiency in the use of Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Exemplary oral and written communication skills
• Excellent attention to detail, including using correct spelling and grammar
• Ability to work with multiple lawyers on different matters
• Excellent client service skills
• Can-do attitude and flexible approach
• Experience with Elite, Legal Key, document management systems, conference room booking and travel agency programs/software is a plus

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with approximately 2,000 lawyers across five continents. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world.

The industry recognition the firm has garnered in the past five years emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

To learn what makes us different from other law firms, including our collaborative approach, entrepreneurial spirit, and our commitment to diversity, check out our video, “Grow Your Career at K&L Gates.”

If you agree that we are different from other law firms - and the right place for you to grow your career - please apply for this position.  For more information or to view other job opportunities, please click here to go back to our careers page.

Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.

BENEFITS

We offer a dynamic work environment and excellent benefits.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices shall not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, military status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of unlawful harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is sexual, racial, age-related, disability-related or ethnic background-related.