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About the Role

McCarthy Tétrault is seeking a Legal Assistant, IP (Patent) for their Toronto office. The role involves filing patent, industrial design, and copyright applications with intellectual property offices in Canada and the US, along with other administrative functions. This position offers a hybrid work environment.

Responsibilities

• Drafting, preparing, formatting, and revising correspondence and submissions for Intellectual Property Offices in Canada, the US, and elsewhere, including the Canadian Patent Office and the Canadian Industrial Design Office (CIPO), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and WIPO, including office action responses.
• Filing submissions with CIPO, the USPTO, and WIPO via fax, courier, and online tools, including generation of cover letters, fax cover sheets, and fee payment forms.
• Managing lawyer's prosecution practice, including delegating tasks to appropriate IP team members, and following up with regards to status.
• Supporting lawyer’s regulatory practice, including conducting drug/patent searches, drafting PM(NOC)-related documents, and preparing letters addressed to Health Canada/OPML.
• Reviewing all Pattsy information including checking all docket entries, ensuring data is correctly entered and maintained, requesting changes and follow-up dates as needed, generating docket reports, and tracking all deadlines and work progress in all active files to make sure due dates are met.
• Contacting Intellectual Property Offices, including CIPO and the USPTO, to resolve basic issues on files such as inquiries and status updates on applications or changes to paperwork and follow ups.
• Managing physical and electronic files for the IP group; ensuring they are current with all relevant documentation, submissions, and correspondence; bringing forward and pulling files as necessary for lawyer's attention.
• Requisitioning new files; maintaining a record of all client files and client data, including contact information.
• Coordinating daily practice of lawyer to ensure hard and soft deadlines are being addressed.
• Liaising with billing analyst on prebills and invoices including reviewing all prebills for inaccuracies and errors prior to lawyer review.
• Managing client billing information, including special billing instructions.
• Processing expense reports, outgoing fee payments, and incoming client payments.
• Providing consistent backup support when assistants are absent; providing support to assistants who may be managing multiple tasks and/or difficult deadlines; and working proactively as a positive and productive member of the team.
• Conducting searches for and downloading patents, trademarks, and designs, using foreign and domestic databases, as requested by the lawyer.
• Working in a team environment, which includes sharing information and knowledge with team and occasionally supporting other legal assistants and other legal staff.
• Performing a variety of routine tasks, as well as special projects.
• Performing other duties as required.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Patent Legal Assistant in an Intellectual Property group.
• Depth of legal understanding and knowledge of IP laws, with ability to self-update in view of ongoing changes to IP legislation and practice.
• Extreme attention to detail.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to maintain a mutual comfort level while relating to clients, lawyers, and government agencies.
• Strong time management and prioritizing to meet important deadlines with effectiveness and efficiency.
• An energetic, proactive approach with a can-do attitude.
• Flexibility and adaptability in responding to changing laws and practices and constructive feedback; reliability and punctuality.
• Empathy, with a focus on delivering high-quality client service (both internal and external).
• A willingness to take on any task as needed to support the lawyer's practice.
• High level of discretion and confidentiality.
• Ability to work in both a team setting and as an independent under minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of Pattsy and iManage or comparable document management system.

Skills

• Patent filing
• Industrial design filing
• Copyright application filing
• Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) procedures
• United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) procedures
• World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) procedures
• Office action responses
• Fax filing
• Courier filing
• Online filing tools
• Document drafting
• Document formatting
• File management (physical and electronic)
• Time management
• Deadline tracking
• Docket management
• Client billing
• Expense report processing
• Payment processing
• Team collaboration
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Attention to detail
• Proactiveness
• Adaptability
• Reliability
• Punctuality
• Discretion
• Confidentiality
• Pattsy
• iManage
• Document management systems

Location

• Toronto

Work Type

• Hybrid

Experience Level

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a Patent Legal Assistant

Education Level

• Legal Assistant diploma or equivalent

Salary/Compensations

• $60,000 - $80,000 annually

Benefits

• Outstanding benefits from day one
• Insurance premiums paid by the Firm
• Wellness reimbursements
• Technology reimbursements
• Comprehensive wellbeing support
• Access to Dialogue for confidential mental health support
• Virtual healthcare assistance
• Proactive wellness resources
• Competitive compensation
• Paid overtime
• Generous time off
• Day off to volunteer
• Day off for your birthday
• Ongoing professional development opportunities

About the Company

• McCarthy Tétrault is a leading Canadian law firm offering a full suite of legal and business solutions to clients in Canada and around the world.
• With offices in Toronto, Montréal, Québec City, Calgary and Vancouver, we provide challenging and rewarding career opportunities across the country.
• Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for eleven consecutive years and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for fourteen consecutive years, our culture is guided by The McCarthy Way—our shared approach to working with clients and with each other.
• The McCarthy Way is built on four core elements: Excellence, Collaboration, Inclusion, and Innovation.
• McCarthy Tétrault utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) technology as part of our application screening process to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our recruitment efforts.

Equal Opportunity

• McCarthy Tétrault is an equal opportunity employer that fosters an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment.
• Please notify us if you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process.