IP Litigation Legal Assistant

Benesch Law • Chicago, IL

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

Benesch is hiring an IP Litigation Legal Assistant for its Chicago office. The position is hybrid, with work-from-home flexibility, and supports assigned attorneys and practice teams in a fast-paced intellectual property litigation practice. The Legal Assistant coordinates client, matter, document, billing, and operational support activities, contributing to accurate, responsive, professional legal service. The role requires sound judgment, initiative, discretion, organization, and the ability to manage competing priorities while working collaboratively with attorneys, colleagues, clients, and business professionals.

The position provides litigation support across intellectual property and related disputes, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, unfair competition, and commercial matters. The Legal Assistant prepares and files complex legal documents; coordinates case proceedings, discovery, calendars, clients, and stakeholders; supports billing and matter administration; maintains case files; arranges travel and processes expenses; and provides backup and practice-group support. The role may require overtime, work outside standard business hours, or attention to urgent matters when business needs require.

Benesch describes itself as a growing law firm with offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, and Wilmington. The firm offers career development and growth, hybrid work, visible leadership, and a comprehensive benefits package. Full-time positions are eligible for a discretionary bonus. The stated salary range is $85,000 to $110,000; actual base pay may vary by market location and job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• At least seven years of litigation support experience in a law firm environment.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities, competing deadlines, and changing work demands while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills and ability to interact professionally with attorneys, clients, colleagues, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, including creating, revising, formatting, and proofreading complex legal and administrative documents.
• Ability to collaborate effectively on documents in SharePoint.
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to learn and use legal, administrative, document management, billing, workflow, and other business systems.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, client-service-driven environment while maintaining responsiveness and accountability.
• Commitment to exceptional client service, professionalism, adaptability, and continuous improvement.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented approach, with ability to anticipate needs, identify issues, recommend practical solutions, and take ownership of assignments.

Nice To Haves

• Intellectual property litigation, patent litigation, trademark litigation, copyright litigation, trade secret litigation, or other complex litigation experience.
• Expertise in federal and state court filing procedures, electronic filing systems, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Experience supporting filings before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the U.S. International Trade Commission, or other intellectual property tribunals.
• Experience with Intapp Time, Intapp Open, Emburse, Aderant, Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign, Intapp DealCloud, iManage, Litera, DocXtools, or Best Authority.
• Experience with PACER, CM/ECF, Federal Circuit electronic filing systems, PTAB and TTAB filing systems, U.S. International Trade Commission filing systems, litigation support platforms, or related legal technology.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, revise, format, redline, and proofread intellectual property litigation documents, including pleadings, correspondence, memoranda, motions, briefs, discovery materials, subpoenas, deposition notices, expert materials, claim construction materials, exhibit lists, pretrial and post-trial submissions, and trial documents.
• Generate and maintain tables of authorities, tables of contents, appendices, exhibit indexes, and other complex document components according to court, tribunal, client, and firm standards.
• Maintain knowledge of e-filing procedures and requirements and make timely, accurate submissions to applicable courts and tribunals.
• Support intellectual property case management and coordinate with courts, tribunals, clients, witnesses, experts, consultants, vendors, and opposing counsel regarding hearings, depositions, mediations, arbitrations, claim construction proceedings, trials, and related proceedings.
• Assist with organizing discovery materials, document productions, privilege logs, deposition exhibits, expert materials, claim construction materials, hearing binders, trial binders, demonstratives, and other case documents.
• Monitor case deadlines and collaborate with the docket department to ensure accurate and timely compliance.
• Coordinate with attorneys, clients, opposing counsel, co-counsel, consultants, vendors, internal departments, and other stakeholders as a professional and responsive point of contact.
• Coordinate client meetings, conference calls, virtual meeting logistics, conference rooms, meal requests, meeting materials, and follow-up items.
• Anticipate client needs, communicate clearly, protect confidentiality, and escalate issues appropriately.
• Manage attorney calendars, including meetings, key dates, filing deadlines, reminders, and competing priorities.
• Use workflow management tools and practice group protocols to prioritize assignments, track status, support coverage, and ensure timely completion of work.
• Collaborate with attorneys, paralegals, docketing, e-filing, records, accounting, conflicts, and other business professionals to keep matters moving efficiently.
• Enter, revise, review, and release attorney time entries according to firm guidelines and client billing requirements.
• Coordinate review of proformas and billing documentation with accounting, attorneys, and other stakeholders.
• Perform initial conflict checks; assist with new matter intake; open and close client matters; prepare engagement documentation; and maintain matter-related administrative records in the document management system.
• Create, maintain, organize, and close electronic and hard-copy client and administrative files according to firm protocols.
• Maintain organized case files and matter materials using standard naming conventions, version control, confidentiality, and retention practices.
• Coordinate domestic and occasional international travel, including itineraries, accommodations, ground transportation, and expense tracking.
• Process expenses, coordinate reimbursements, and perform administrative tasks that support attorney productivity and client service.
• Provide backup support for practice group team members during high-volume periods, absences, or special projects.
• Contribute to a collaborative, responsive, and service-oriented practice group support team.
• Stay current on firm systems, technologies, workflows, templates, and best practices, including legal technology training and practice support standards.
• Support special projects, process improvements, practice group initiatives, business development support, and other assigned administrative or operational duties.
• Work overtime, outside standard business hours, or on urgent matters when business needs require.

Benefits

• Hybrid schedule with work-from-home flexibility.
• Career development and growth opportunities.
• Full array of benefits and a comprehensive benefits package for full-time positions.
• Eligibility for a discretionary bonus for full-time positions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED