Specialist, Court Procedures

Goodwin Procter•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Court Procedures Team is an integral part of the Litigation Department, providing critical support to litigators on the procedural aspects of their cases. The team serves as a centralized resource for guidance on court rules, filing requirements, and procedural strategy across federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels, while also executing all court filings efficiently and accurately.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 2-3 years of relevant experience in a major law firm, clerk’s office, agency, or similar legal environment.
Experience with federal and state court filings required.
Self-Motivated and Collaborative: You work independently with confidence while thriving in a team-oriented litigation environment. You balance autonomy with responsiveness to attorneys and colleagues.
Detail-Oriented Problem Solver: You possess strong familiarity with federal and state civil and appellate rules, and ideally PTAB procedures. You excel at identifying procedural issues, analyzing them thoroughly, and communicating sound conclusions clearly and authoritatively.
Effectively manage multiple assignments simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
Enthusiastic about expanding your expertise in court and PTAB procedures and sharing that knowledge with colleagues.
Committed to meeting filing deadlines and supporting case teams, including occasional extended hours, and aspire to be a trusted procedural subject matter expert.
Flexible schedule required, including participation in after-hours e-filing rotation and willingness to work outside normal business hours as necessary to meet court and PTAB deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Experience with PTAB proceedings, particularly IPR matters, and familiarity with USPTO P-TACTS strongly preferred.
Experience with electronic filing platforms (e.g., CM/ECF, state e-filing systems, and USPTO P-TACTS) is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide Procedural Guidance: Respond to workflow requests from attorneys and professional staff, offering detailed and authoritative advice on court rules, procedural mechanisms, filing requirements, and deadline calculations.
Advise case teams on proper procedural strategies to accomplish stated litigation objectives in federal, state, appellate, and PTAB matters.
Research and resolve complex procedural and deadline-related issues across multiple jurisdictions.
Support and Execute Filings: Prepare, review, coordinate, and execute court filings in federal and state trial and appellate courts, including electronic filing through applicable platforms (e.g., CM/ECF and state e-filing systems).
Prepare and file documents in PTAB proceedings, particularly IPR matters, using the USPTO’s P-TACTS system.
Ensure compliance with all applicable formatting, citation, confidentiality, and service requirements for both court and PTAB filings.
Coordinate service of filings on opposing counsel and other required parties.
Communicate with court personnel and, at the direction of supervising attorneys, with PTAB representatives regarding procedural matters.
Manage Deadlines and Workflow: Respond to complex questions regarding procedural deadlines for district court, appellate, and PTAB matters, coordinating closely with docketing and case teams to ensure timely and accurate submissions.
Independently prioritize assignments and manage a dynamic workload in a deadline-driven environment.
PTAB & IP Litigation Support: Develop and maintain proficiency in PTAB rules, procedures, and timelines, particularly for IPR proceedings.
Build expertise in IP-specific procedural requirements across trial and appellate jurisdictions.
Participate in training of staff on PTAB matters.
Develop Resources & Share Knowledge: Contribute to the creation and maintenance of internal guides, checklists, and reference materials to support procedural consistency and knowledge sharing.
Mentor junior team members by sharing knowledge of court and PTAB procedures and best practices.
Promote quality control practices, including compliance reviews, use of checklists, and proofreading to ensure error-free submissions.
Build Relationships: Establish and maintain effective working relationships with court personnel, PTAB representatives, attorneys, support staff, clients, and external vendors.
Engage professionally and discreetly in all communications.
Assist with Firm Defense Matters: Assist with document review pertaining to firm defense and client file transfers as needs arise and time allows.