Success is always within your reach at Locke Lord.
Locke Lord is a premier full-service law firm that has earned a solid reputation for complex litigation, regulatory and transactional work on behalf of clients in important and growing industry sectors around the world.
At Locke Lord, our diverse and inclusive culture of collegiality and collaboration core values of the Firm across all of our offices and practices is ultimately reflected in our client experience by culminating in a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses.
Locke Lord is proud to uphold a collective sense of integrity. Our Firm invests in your professional growth, whether you are a seasoned professional or a recent graduate.
In addition to lawyers, we hire problem solvers to deliver creative solutions across numerous disciplines, including marketing, technology, accounting, human resources, practice support and office services.
We reward our employees with a team oriented work environment, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program.
General Statement of Duties :
The Legal Secretary is responsible for all aspects of practice-specific administrative support of attorneys and also provides all aspects of practice-specific administrative support and patent filing support for the department.
Duties & Responsibilities :
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, providing legal administrative support to patent client work
Assist with domestic and international patent prosecution
Preparing and filing US Patent Applications, Provisional Applications, Non-Provisional Applications, Continuation Applications, Continuation-In-Part Applications, National Stage Applications and Divisional Applications documents through the IPDAS software / database
Preparing and filing of Preliminary Amendments, Responses to USPTO Office Actions, Notice to Respond to Missing Parts, Assignments, Information Disclosure Statements and, Notice of Allowance documents through the IPDAS software / database
Creating reporting letters and, legal documents such as Declaration and Power of Attorney forms and Assignments through the IPDAS software / database
Downloading foreign patents and publications as needed for the preparation of Information Disclosure Statements
Maintaining a soft docket
Electronic filing with the USPTO
File US Patent applications and related forms on-line through the USPTO website
Handle all aspects of domestic, including review of attorneys’ dockets to ensure proper docketing while maintaining and meeting all due dates
Oversee creation, maintenance and, organization of files for all cases
Manage multiple projects under time-sensitive guidelines
Open new matter numbers and request conflicts clearance
Ability to work within a team environment as well as independently
Willingness to work overtime when requested and / or needed
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned
Education & Qualifications :
Bachelor’s Degree or Paralegal Certificate required
3+ years of experience supporting attorneys in IP (Patents)
Experience filing US Patent applications, US Trademark applications and related forms online, and handling all aspects of domestic and international prosecution for patents and trademarks
Proficiency with document preparation and document management databases (FileSite / DeskSite)
Familiarity with docketing databases (CPI, EFS or IPDAS)
Advanced skills in MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
Effective oral and written communication skills
Additional Information :
Supervisory Responsibility This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.
Work Environment This position operates in a professional office environment, with possibility of working remotely occasionally.
Position Type / Expected Work Hours This is a full-time temporary position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 9 : 00 a.
m. to 5 : 00 p.m., with one hour for lunch. Evening, weekend, and overtime work may be required as job duties demand.
Travel No travel is expected for this position.