Junior IP Assistant

Job Details

Job Location

Tulsa Office - Tulsa, OK

Position Type

Full Time

Travel Percentage

Negligible

Job Shift

Day

Job Category

Admin - Clerical

Description

Firm Overview:

GableGotwals is a full-service law firm with nearly 100 attorneys and more than 70 other professionals in Oklahoma and Texas. We represent a diversified client base across the nation, and our connections and reach are global. Fortune 500 corporations, privately owned companies, entrepreneurs, foundations, and individuals entrust us every day with the stewardship and strategic management of their legal challenges. We are well known for our high-quality legal services provided by an experienced group of litigators and transactional attorneys who have been recognized by Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers in America, Oklahoma Super Lawyers, and several federal, state and county bar associations. GableGotwals is a 2024 USA Today Top Workplace winner, a Top Inclusive Workplace by MOSAIC, and a VETS Indexes Recognized employer. The Firm has been named to VAULT’s Top 150 under 150 list for eight consecutive years. We provide a highly engaged, collaborative, team-based approach to doing life at work while we serve our clients with excellence not only throughout Oklahoma and Texas, but across the U.S.

Why Join Us

Our purpose is to deliver exceptional legal services using our diverse skills and experience and to enrich our team and community. We strive to exhibit our core values in all that we do. Our core values are:

• Excellence – Provide the highest level of service to internal and external clients.
• Integrity – Uphold the highest ethical standards.
• Collaboration – Work together with collective skills experience, and efforts for optimal results.
• Support – Maintain a positive, respectful environment that embraces diverse perspectives and needs among clients, team members, and community.
  
  

Benefits

• Eligible for health insurance on day one
• Free Teladoc appointments with the Healthiest You app
• Group Term Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Supplemental Life, Vision, AFLAC and Pet Insurance
• Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan
• PTO, Sick Leave and Floating Holiday
• Parental Leave
• Lactation Room(s) in each office location
• Most positions are eligible for twenty-six remote days per year
  
  

Position Summary:

The Junior IP Assistant provides practice-specific administrative support to the other IP Assistants within the Intellectual Property department. This is an entry-level trainee position with extensive mentoring. The qualified candidate will follow a structured learning plan designed to help you develop the skills necessary for the key job responsibilities listed below.

Essential Job Functions

• Assist and perform tasks in support of attorney(s)’ domestic and international patent prosecution and litigation‎ work, as requested.
• Review Office Actions and other communications from the USPTO and report the same to attorneys and clients.
• Review and utilize new and past patent or trademark information and prepare response shells/templates for attorney’s use.
• Prepare formal documents (i.e., Declarations, Powers of Attorney, Assignments, etc.) and forward the same to the client(s) for signature; file documents using the Electronic Filing System (EFS) with the USPTO.
• Demonstrate proficiency in electronic filing of patent, trademark and copyright forms, Information Disclosure Statements, and attorney-generated work.
• Work closely with staff responsible for foreign filings.
• Work with staff responsible for patent and trademark maintenance work, as needed, or handle such work independently, as requested.
• Monitor docket(s) daily, working closely with docketing staff to ensure all deadlines are correctly entered into database.
• Maintain a personal IP soft docket and litigation calendar.
• Oversee creation, maintenance and organization of files.
• Communicate effectively with U.S. Patent and Trademark examiners and other USPTO staff members.
• Prepare client status reports as requested and/or on a quarterly basis for large-entity clients.
• Perform patent and trademark searches for attorney’s use.
• Review pre-bills and disseminate same for review/approval by other staff and attorneys, as needed; finalize, process and transmit invoices to clients.
• Contact clients with respect to past due accounts.
• Demonstrate dependability and reliability in performing duties; demonstrate flexibility in working occasional overtime, as requested.
  
  

Qualifications

Education and Qualifications:

• High school diploma required, associate's degree in legal studies or related field preferred
• Minimum of two (2) years of law firm experience required (no certain role specified)
• Notary preferred
• Ability to type accurately at a minimum speed of sixty-five words per minute
  
  

Required Skills

• Maintain a positive, “can-do” attitude, while working in a fast-paced working environment
• Clear and effective communication and strong people skills; strong grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Able to work independently or as a team in a collaborative environment
• Strong diligence with great emphasis on accuracy and quality
• Advance knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat
• Proficient use of research tools (i.e., USPTO, WIPO, LexisNexis, etc.)
• Some knowledge of U.S. patent/trademark (USPTO) rules, foreign patent/trademark rules, and U.S. copyright rules preferred, but not required.
• Operate standard office equipment such as telephones, conferencing equipment, photocopiers, scanners, postage machines, etc.
• Use proper judgement and discretion when dealing with sensitive, confidential information.
• Ability to manage stressful situations in a professional and courteous manner
  
  

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to read from hard-copy paper and computer screen, sit, talk, hear, use wrist, hands, and fingers repetitively to type, write, operate computer and other office equipment/machinery, handle and grasp paper and other office objects. Additionally, the person in this position will remain in a stationary sitting position 90% of the time working on a computer; occasionally moving about our office to visit and meet with others and/or attend meetings, access file cabinets, use office machinery, etc., which will require bending and lifting of items less than 25 lbs. The typical office environment is of moderate noise level, an indoor temperate environment, and light levels that are bright and conducive to minimal eye strain. Little to no travel is expected for this position.

The qualifications, physical demands, and work environment described herein are representative of those an employee will encounter and must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities.

Acknowledgement

Gable Gotwals is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or other factors protected by law.