About EIP

EIP is an award-winning specialist patent firm with offices in Europe and the US and combines patent attorneys, litigators and commercial IP lawyers to provide clients with a seamless service. EIP has an impressive global client base from SMEs to multinational blue-chip companies and includes telecoms owners, major software developers, pharma and biotech companies, medical device manufacturers, aerospace and logistics companies.

The business is organised into several tech areas to reflect the expertise of the attorneys and lawyers at EIP. These include EIP Dynamics, EIP Elements, EIP Life, EIP Healthtech, and EIP Energy, as well as our class-leading electronics practice, EIP Digital. We also have an award-winning Litigation team.

EIP has been recognised for its expertise across legal directories and awards. For the third year in a row, EIP has been ranked in the FT’s list of Europe’s Leading Patent Law Firms. In 2021, EIP received gold ranking in six categories. For the past four years, EIP has also been named as Managing IP’s ‘UK Patent Contentious Firm of the Year’.

Diversity is an intrinsic part of EIP’s business culture. We are proud to support the IP Inclusive initiative and we are a signatory to the IP Inclusive Charter. EIP actively engages in diversity efforts and is committed to developing an attitude of openness for the benefit of all those working in the IP profession.

EIP has a friendly, progressive, and mutually supportive working environment along with a smart casual dress policy and stylish modern offices.

About the role

Paralegals work closely with their allocated fee earner/s, dealing with secretarial and administrative tasks and allowing their fee earner/s to make the best use of their time. They also perform certain aspects of patent and/or trademark work without guidance, and this requires knowledge of the relevant patent, trademark and design application procedures.

Paralegals should have good knowledge of EIP, its activities and key people, to ensure that work can be handled appropriately for and on behalf of fee earner/s at all times, including when they are absent.

Responsibilities

All responsibilities are deemed to be equally as important. However, the weighting in terms of the amount of time spent completing each task is shown in brackets. These are provided for guidance only and should not be applied too rigidly.

Paralegal Duties [35%]

• Prepare documents ready for online filing of UK, EPO and PCT Forms, plus CTM applications via EUIPO and Madrid Protocol applications (where applicable)
• Update prior art files, and prepare IDS and Section 8 (where applicable)
• Demonstrate fast accurate typing skills, and excellent spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Prepare correspondence and legal documentation accurately and with minimal supervision
• Understand EIP documents, and ensure documents are named and stored in the correct places
• Understand records procedures, and forward correspondence to the records team in a timely fashion
• Check Diary Lists on a regular basis
• Act on own initiative, highlighting issues and suggesting possible solutions
• Take ownership of enquiries, resolving or escalating as appropriate
• Organise and prioritise own workload
• Build rapport, getting to know EIP’s clients, and building professional relationships with key contacts
• Keep a level-headed approach in a busy working environment
• Actively source and share knowledge with others
• Build a network of strong working relationships both internally and externally
• Demonstrate a client-oriented approach (both for internal and external clients)
• Provide general support to other fee earners, and to colleagues (as and when required)
• Attend to any reasonable client-specific requests

Billing [25%]

• Add service and official fees to WIP, prepare invoices and other responsible paralegal (RPA) duties

Standard Reporting [10%]

• Prepare standard reporting emails/letters to clients, including filing reports, publication, acceptance and grant
• Prepare foreign filing instructions and examination requests

Portfolio Take-ons [10%]

• Follow internal take-on procedures

PA Duties [20%]

• Demonstrate good diary management (i.e. arranging meetings, conference calls, etc.)
• Maintain a professional telephone manner, fielding calls where appropriate, and taking accurate and detailed telephone messages
• Deal with incoming emails, post and faxes and, where authorised to do so, correspond on behalf of fee earners
• Carry out background research and present findings, in response to requests from clients and/or fee earners
• Raise travel request forms for fee earners, for submission to the Travel Request Team (as and when required)
• Ensure dee earners are well prepared for meetings
• Liaise with clients, suppliers, and other employees across EIP
• Take the initiative to ensure that work is completed when fee earners are absent
• Provide general support to colleagues (as and when required)
• Carry out ‘buddy’ duties (as and when required)
• Provide cover when members of the Office team are absent (including organising/completing own proof reading, organising client events, and meeting and greeting clients.

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

You will be comfortable working in a modern, fast-paced environment where you are given a level of autonomy to do your work.

Successful candidates will also be able to demonstrate the following:

• University degree
• Previous experience working as a Patent Paralegal (more than 2 years is highly desirable) but we would also consider more junior candidates and candidates from a secretarial background within the IP field
• A “can-do” approach
• A consistent and reliable manner
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise competing priorities
• The ability to communicate effectively
• The ability to work autonomously
• The ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• The ability to foster trust and understanding within the team by showing willingness to assist when requests come in, maintaining a positive approach, and showing concern for others by offering to cover
• Excellent IT skills as we are a paperless office and we have very advanced IT systems
• Previous experience working with Inprotech or a similar database
• Experience of a Document Management System

Rewards & Benefits

We offer a competitive salary and several benefits:

• Discretionary bonus
• 25 days of holiday, excluding bank holidays
• Private medical health care
• Free eye tests
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Electric vehicle scheme
• Group personal pension plan
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
• Flex leave
• Holiday Loyalty

Other information

With our state-of-the-art paperless systems, we offer hybrid working, three days in the office and two from home. EIP’s employees also enjoy reduced business hours on the days when working from the office subject to there being no urgent work commitments.

Equal opportunities

EIP is an equal opportunities employer that values diversity and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religious practice or any other perceived differences.

If you would like to be considered for this position, please email your CV and Cover Letter, providing information about your notice period, current package, and salary expectation. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the talent team.