MightyRecruiterQualified patent paralegals/IP specialists are more in demand than ever. More than a quarter million paralegal positions — both filled and unfilled — exist in the nation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). With many potential jobs to sift through, the average candidate spends less than a minute deciding whether to apply to each opportunity.
An effective patent paralegal/IP specialist job description template emphasizes what you offer employees. Discuss job duties, but keep it focused on what sets your firm apart. These candidate-focused ads attract more — and better — applicants.
When you’re creating your ad, it’s important to take a holistic approach. The writing might be stellar, but would-be candidates will still skim over a difficult-to-read wall of text. Adding bulleted lists to the description, as well as videos and images to the accompanying company profile, encourages job seekers to pay attention. Use a good patent paralegal/IP specialist job description template like the one below to simplify the process.
Patent Paralegal / IP Specialist Job Description Template
Job Summary:
We’re looking for a detail-oriented, highly motivated Patent Paralegal/IP Specialist eager to gain hands-on, practical legal experience working for an innovative firm. You’ll get the opportunity to handle complex intellectual property issues as well as assist and interact closely with talented attorneys handling trademark portfolio management, IP docketing, and various copyright matters.
You’ll largely operate independently to provide general oversight of filings with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) and patent office of foreign countries, and you’ll use your business acumen, strong work ethic, and excellent communication skills to strengthen relationships with clients and tackle legal challenges in a fast-paced environment.
Job Responsibilities:
- File new Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications, national stage applications and directly filed foreign applications.
- Prepare formal documents, including Declarations, Powers of Attorney, Assignments, and other formal documents as required by foreign countries.
- File documents in response to Invitations to Correct Defects, Payment of Additional Search Fees, and any other documents received from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) or the U.S. Receiving Office (RO/US).
- Review incoming correspondence from WIPO, RO/US and/or foreign associates regarding current status of foreign or PCT applications – and ensure accuracy of information, including Official Filing Receipts, Publications, Notifications, Assignments, Acceptances, and Letters Patent documents.
- Perform research and compile data as requested by attorneys.
- Review, process and maintain client dockets for filing deadlines, including preparing reminders to attorneys and clients as needed.
- Assist with miscellaneous client-related projects.
Job Skills & Qualifications:
Preferred:
- Ability to handle multiple projects under limited supervision, meet deadlines, and be a strong team player as part of a “High Performance” team.
- Strong attention to detail, excellent communication (both written and verbal), organizational and interpersonal skills.
Requirements:
- 4 years of U.S. and/or Foreign Filing policies and procedures experience, including using and maintaining an IP practice management system in a law firm or IP corporate legal department setting.
- Ability to prepare and file PCT and foreign patent applications including related formality requirements.
- Experience with monitoring, maintaining and clearing foreign patent dockets for formality due dates in foreign patent applications.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (e.g. Word and Excel) and billing software(s).
What to Include in a Winning Patent Paralegal / IP Specialist Job Description Template
Deciding what to include in your job description is a bit of a balancing act. Too much information overwhelms readers and causes them to miss important details, while too little makes them pass you by in favor of more promising leads. Break up content into four sections to hit an effective middle ground.
Job Summary: This section may be the single most important part of your description because this is where you make your first impression. Use it to give a brief summary of the job, but focus on the factors that are most likely to get a qualified candidate excited.
Duties & Responsibilities: You don’t have to include every detail in this section, but cover the broad strokes. Be sure to include any specialized duties your patent paralegals perform, such as working with foreign patent offices. This section is usually most effective when broken up into a list as shown in the patent paralegal/IP specialist job description template above.
Skills: This is where you discuss education and experience requirements. Because patents and intellectual property are a niche field, you may want to list processes and procedures paralegals must know, and include any degree requirement or how many years of experience you’d like candidates to have. Be sure to mention any unusual requirements, such as bilingual needs.
Company Overview: Let candidates know what sets you apart from other firms in your field. Note any unusual cases or subspecialties that you work with, describe your company culture and put a positive spin on what working for you will be like.
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Patent Paralegal / IP Specialist Job Description Writing Do’s & Don’ts
- Do use action-oriented language to get prospective candidates excited about the job and their prospective role.
- Don’t include excessive legal jargon or too many details, especially in the job summary portion of your patent paralegal/IP specialist job description template. Simple, conversational ads tend to get better responses.
- Do list the most important skills first, and leave the less important ones for last.
- Don’t get bogged down in abbreviations. They can save valuable space when you’re talking about patent forms and processes, but you don’t want your job posting to look like alphabet soup.
- Do consider posting a salary range because that can increase the amount of interest your job posting generates. Just be realistic; if your description requires a highly experienced IP specialist but you’re offering an intern-level salary, you won’t hear from qualified candidates.
- Don’t forget to include a link to your website and social media accounts so candidates can get a better idea of your company culture.