Intellectual Property (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.

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 experienced Intellectual Property (IP) Practice Assistant to join the Chicago Team. The IP Practice Assistant is responsible for preparing, filing and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patents, U.S. and foreign trademarks and copyright applications.

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

• Knowledge in preparation of all Patent/Trademark Office forms, which includes but is not limited to: Provisional Cover Sheet, Application Data Sheet, Power of Attorney/3.73 Statement, Extension of Time, Notice of Appeal, Terminal Disclaimer, Issue Fee Transmittal, SB08, Oath/Declaration
• Ability to format specification and responses to office actions in proper USPTO format.
• Preparing assignments for execution by inventors.
• Organizing and maintaining all correspondence and documents using the relevant document management system
• Managing emails, calendar appointments, and client contact lists
• Handling administrative aspects of U.S. patent prosecution
• Coordinating services with Global Shared Business Services
• 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
• Processing and docketing for filing
• Managing IP docketing deadlines
• 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
   
  Experience & Skills Required

• Must have at least 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 EFS / PAIR.
• 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.

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.