Legal Practice Coordinator (IP)

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman•Austin, TX

17h•Onsite

About The Position

The Legal Practice Coordinator (IP) will assume responsibility for ensuring the efficient daily administrative tasks and support to the attorneys and patent agents in the Intellectual Property Practice Section. This role involves creating shells for Office Action responses, preparation and electronic filing of responses, and assisting with other submissions and documents as required by the USPTO. The coordinator will also review timekeeper docket reports, maintain docket notes, and report communications from the USPTO to attorneys and clients, ensuring prompt responses to inquiries. Additionally, the role includes researching, generating, and updating case status reports and IP schedules, accessing and researching patent databases, opening new matters, reviewing and editing client bills, screening calls and emails, processing expense reports and invoices, handling travel arrangements, and maintaining electronic files. The position also requires assisting with secretarial coverage during absences, demonstrating mastery of the Firm’s Microsoft Office system, composing routine and non-routine correspondence, providing administrative support to the legal team, organizing workflow, files, and recordkeeping, and assisting in organizing work schedules by maintaining calendars and scheduling appointments. Overtime may be required as needed, and other administrative duties will be assigned.

Requirements

5+ years of legal secretarial experience in patent prosecution required.
In-depth knowledge of USPTO rules and regulations.
Thorough knowledge and understanding of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rules and regulations and the filing procedures for all aspects of U.S. patent prosecution and international prosecution.
Tech savvy with advanced-level MS Office Suite and Adobe Acrobat skills required.
Excellent client service, communication, organizational, and time management skills.
Team player with outstanding interpersonal skills and a strong work ethic.
Accurate typing speed of 60+ wpm.
Excellent word processing skills and knowledge of Windows operating system.
Ability to meet the demands of a fast-paced work environment and multiple priorities.
Ability to work cohesively in a team environment.
Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.
Professional, upbeat, energetic, proactive, dependable, and takes pride in work.
Proficiency in spelling, grammar, proofreading and writing skills (English), and a strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with the appropriate discretion.
Ability to quickly learn new processes/procedures/styles and possess good judgement/intuition.

Nice To Haves

College/University Degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensuring efficient daily administrative tasks and support to attorneys and patent agents in the Intellectual Property Practice Section.
Creating shells for Office Action responses, preparation and electronic filing of responses, and assisting with other USPTO submissions and documents.
Reviewing timekeeper docket reports and maintaining docket notes to keep IP timekeepers abreast of upcoming deadlines and their respective status.
Reporting communications from the USPTO to attorneys and clients and ensuring prompt responses to inquiries.
Researching, generating, and updating case status reports and IP schedules for clients, attorneys, and other IP timekeepers.
Accessing and researching a variety of patent databases.
Opening new matters, reviewing and editing client bills, screening calls and emails, processing expense reports, submitting check requests, processing invoices, handling travel arrangements, and maintaining electronic files.
Assisting with secretarial coverage when IP legal secretaries are unexpectedly out or on vacation.
Demonstrating mastery of the Firm’s Microsoft Office system by producing a variety of documents from various source materials.
Composing routine correspondence and non-routine correspondence for attorney review as requested.
Providing administrative support to assigned legal team by ensuring the organization of workflow, files, and recordkeeping, including preparation of timesheets and client bills, expense reports, and the processing of incoming and outgoing mail and overnight deliveries.
Assisting in organizing work schedule by maintaining calendar, scheduling appointments and coordinating travel arrangements.
Performing other administrative duties as assigned.