IP Legal Assistant at Harness IP in Bloomfield Hills, MI

Description

Overview:

We are seeking a detail-oriented Legal Assistant to join our legal team. Under general supervision and according to established policies and procedures, provides patent prosecution support, including docket management, composing correspondence, drafting legal documents, billing and maintaining multiple filing systems. Uses judgment while planning and organizing the workload to ensure established priorities are met for assigned attorneys.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare shell responses to U.S. office actions or instructions to foreign associates for foreign office actions, procuring cited art and any necessary translations of foreign references.
• Compile materials for office actions.
• Prepare application documents and formal papers
• Prepare foreign filing instructions.
• Proofread patent applications and responses to office actions.
• Prepare Information Disclosure statements, including reviewing electronic and physical files and completion of detailed checklist.
• File U.S. applications, responses and assignments.
• Analyze and process files after receipt of allowance notices.
• May maintain client database or update client portal regarding status of cases.
• Process incoming mail and email. Monitor client-specific email address inbox and forward to appropriate attorney’s team. Docket deadlines. Review weekly docket to meet upcoming deadlines and review new work received.
• Pull files to match the mail.
• Monitor status of projects. Monitor preparation of patent applications assigned to other attorneys.
• Open new matters; create and organize new files.
• Respond to email/telephone calls from clients, foreign associates, etc. May maintain email correspondence between attorney and client.

Qualifications:

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Proficient in the use of MS Office Applications (Word, Excel) and efficiently learn to use various applications and databases
• Exceptional attention to detail
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work overtime when and if needed
• As this is a hybrid work environment, ability to work in-office at least 3 days per week

Education and/or Experience:

• Associate's degree (A. A.) or equivalent from two-year college preferred.
• At least 1 years of related experience