IP Litigation Paralegal and Patent Assistant

Shumaker is seeking an experienced IP Litigation Paralegal/Patent Assistant for it's Charlotte office. This hire will assist attorneys on our Intellectual Property Litigation team with preparing, filling and maintaining litigation documents of all types.  They will be responsible for administering multiple, deadline-sensitive case management duties, principally in Federal Court, and tracking project deadlines, identifying and applying various guidelines of differing jurisdictions. This position will also assist patent attorneys and patent agents with high volume patent prosecution end-to-end from preparation to maintenance including various domestic and international filings, correspondence with agents, clients, and inventors, and related tasks.   Our ideal candidate will have at least five years of experience in Federal IP litigation and patent prosecution practice, along with experience searching in PACER and filing using Federal Court ECF.    This position will work in-person at our Charlotte, North Carolina office.   Education, Experience and Skills Required

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum five years’ experience in Federal IP litigation and patent prosecution practice
• Experience searching in PACER and filing using Federal Court ECF
• Strong understanding of litigation terms and technological skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Superior research skills, including the use of online services, databases and the Internet
• Superior organizational skills
• Project and case management skills including a strong aptitude for managing and prioritizing multiple projects and deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as analytical, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work independently and maintain a high degree of confidentiality
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal skills including strong command of spelling, punctuation and grammar
• Types a minimum of 60 wpm.

Essential Duties

• Prepare initial drafts of various pleadings.
• Obtain (sometimes via e-discovery) and index/organize all documents provided by the client relative to the litigation, including chronology of documents.
• Schedule appointment with expert witness(es), prepare draft letter to expert, forwarding materials for his/her review.
• Prepare deposition summaries.
• Schedule court reporter and arrange for location for deposition.
• Limited legal research, jury verdict research, expert witness research, obtaining case law, shepardizing and cite checking cases from briefs.
• Preparation of and marking exhibits for depositions and/or trial.
• Pre-trial check of jury questionnaires and jury lists.
• Work with attorneys on arbitration/trial exhibits and potential testimony using litigation support software.
• Attend arbitration/trial with the attorney.
• Closing files: work on organizing all files, with detailed index for easy retrieval in the future.
• Understands United States patent prosecution processes thoroughly. Finalizes format of and files U.S. patent applications and various types of responses to Office Actions.
• Manages attorney dockets provided by docketing team to meet all deadlines.
• Familiar with PCT patent application procedures and experience filing the same.
• Prepares Information Disclosure Statements and files the same.
• Performs Post-Allowance diligence and pays patent issue fees.
• Writes, proofreads, sends, files and manages correspondence, memos, contracts, forms, and other related documents.
• Coordinates with attorneys on non-patent intellectual property matters.
• Corresponds with clients domestically and abroad in respect of day-to-day patent matters handled by the attorneys of the firm.
• Corresponds with and provides instructions to foreign associate network throughout the world for all non-U.S. patent matters.
• Works creatively with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office staff to identify and resolve issues related to patent prosecution.
• Works collaboratively with firmwide IP team.
• Schedules/manages appointments and contact lists.
• Assist with daily word processing projects and proofread all documents produced, checking for appropriate formatting, spelling, and grammatical errors, as well as ensuring that all attachments, exhibits, and enclosures are intact. Manage multiple deadline-sensitive projects and apply various procedural guidelines of differing jurisdictions. 

The above listing is by no means exhaustive, however, it does give a basic outline of the type of work which the IP litigation paralegal and patent assistant will be asked to perform.

About the Firm We’re not just another law firm—we’re something different. At Shumaker, our professional staff are the backbone of our success, providing the essential support that enables our firm to thrive. From operations and finance to marketing and technology, our team members enjoy a collaborative, people-first culture where their contributions truly make an impact. As one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States, we’re looking for talented professionals who want to grow their careers and be part of a firm that values dedication, teamwork, and innovation.   FLSA Status Hourly Non-Exempt Physical Requirements

• Standing and walking regularly
• Sitting frequently, six out of eight hours per day 
• Sitting position static for up to one-half hour at a time
• Lifting and carrying up to 20 pounds occasionally
• Bending and stooping occasionally          

Notice to recruiters: Unsolicited resumes will not be accepted. If you wish to have a candidate considered, please reach out to Colleen Miller, Director of Recruitment at cmmiller@shumaker.com. Kindly do not contact attorneys directly.