Patent Assistant

Job Description

Patent Assistant | Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

The Tone:
This is a full-time support role at Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, located in Glendale, California. As a prominent legal firm, Womble Bond Dickinson delivers comprehensive legal services, particularly within its Intellectual Property Practice Group which focuses on patent prosecution. The Patent Assistant plays a crucial role by providing essential administrative and technical assistance, ensuring the efficient operation and success of patent prosecution efforts. This position directly supports legal practice assistants, attorneys, and patent agents, contributing significantly to the firm’s client service and legal practice.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Location: In-person, Glendale, CA
• Pay: $48000–$55000 yearly
• Team: Supports members of the Intellectual Property Practice Group, assisting legal practice assistants in supporting attorneys and patent agents.
• Mission: To provide crucial administrative and technical support for patent prosecution activities within the Intellectual Property Practice Group.
• Tech Stack: MS Word, Windows, Outlook, Excel, Adobe

What You’ll Actually Do
• Billing Support: Assist with billing processes by reviewing and editing prebills for accuracy.
• Client Communication: Use standard templates to communicate with clients regarding the status of U.S. patent applications.
• IDS Management: Draft, file, and report Information Disclosure Statements (IDS) to relevant parties.
• Document Handling: Download, bullzip, and save U.S. and Foreign references, along with managing assignment recordation.
• Correspondence Processing: Proof and report USPTO notices, such as Notice of Recordation and Filing Receipts, and save Office Action Response packets to the document management system, emailing them to the working attorney/assistant team.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Entry-Level. A solid understanding of English grammar, proofreading, and English composition skills, coupled with a disciplined eye for quality checking document accuracy, is required.
• Experience: No specific years of experience are mandated; however, prior law firm experience is considered a definite plus for this role.
• Skills: Excellent computer proficiency, including strong knowledge of MS Word, Windows, Outlook, Excel, and Adobe software applications.
• Bonus: An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) is preferred.