Legal Administrative Assistant Jobs

St. Louis law firm seeks legal administrative assistant with 3+ years of experience in Intellectual Property.

This position will provide specialized administrative support for our Trademark Practice Group. Qualified candidates will have at least three (3) years of legal experience, preferably in Intellectual Property. A thorough understanding of practices, procedures, and requirements relating to all phases of filing, prosecuting, maintaining, defending and enforcing trademarks is preferred but not required. The ideal candidate will have excellent attention to detail and time management skills. An Associate’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred. The candidate selected for this position must be accustomed to working in a highly-productive environment. After an initial period of in-office training, this position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Job Responsibilities

• Prepares status summary reports for attorneys and clients.
• Reads, sorts and dates incoming mail and electronic communications. Ensures that outgoing mail and communications are delivered in a timely manner. If necessary, routes mail to specific delivery services and follows up on timely delivery.
• Shares overflow responsibility in document management, filing, photocopying or other legal administrative assistant duties as time permits and as requested by the Practice Support Team Coordinator or other attorneys. Also assists other legal administrative assistants with their workload as needed.
• Assists with trademark and copyright due diligence.
• Receives clients and visitors; maintains good public relations with clients; and observes confidentiality of attorney-client relationship.
• Maintains IP Department-specific databases (Anaqua and IPDAS).
• Collaborates with administrative support staff (document production, receptionists, business office, administrative support assistants, paralegals, IP Docketing, etc.); proofs documents returned from document production; and ensures that attorney timesheets are entered and released in a timely manner.
• Provides legal administrative support to assigned timekeepers, including calendaring, drafting, and editing standard correspondence, memoranda, and other legal documents.
• Provides specialized support to Trademark group, with a thorough understanding of internal and external trademark practices, procedures and requirements relating to all phases of filing, prosecuting, maintaining, defending and enforcing trademarks for Firm clients.
• Processes bills; proofs billing statements; and reviews and edits bills.
• Prepares and files documents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) including applications, responses, assignments, powers of attorney, etc.
• Requests conflict of interest reports with File Opening/Conflicts, opens new clients and/or matters, and maintains all client and general files. Conducts periodic review for possible storage of older files, and prepares files to be closed.
• Establishes and maintains calendar and deadline reminder systems; utilizes the Firm and IP department calendar system. Schedules appointments for timekeepers as necessary and/or as requested.
• Works closely with attorneys, paralegals, and the docketing department on all aspects of trademark applications.

Job Requirements

• Must possess a high level of professionalism and interpersonal skills so as to be able to work well with employees at all levels within the organization and maintain all information in the strictest of confidence. Required to use tact and diplomacy when dealing with others.
• Must have the ability to read, write and communicate fluent English; ability to compose documents in the appropriate business style using correct grammar and spelling; ability to communicate clearly using proper grammar and diction over the telephone.
• Must possess strong attention to detail, ability to balance multiple projects and strong time management skills.
• Ability to work overtime as needed.
• Ability to process routine daily functions while being able to resolve sensitive issues and complex assignments utilizing above-average critical thinking skills.
• Must possess the ability to navigate various patent databases including (but not limited to) the USPTO.
• Must have the ability to reason and apply common-sense understanding to situations encountered.
• Must possess knowledge of the patent prosecution process, terminology, and associated deadlines.
• Must possess advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office software, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to transcribe legal documents, correspondence, and reports from rough draft, dictation, or transcription at a level of seventy (70) wpm preferred.
• Familiarity with trademark, copyright, and patent processes and procedures, foreign and domestic.