Senior IP Legal Assistant – London

A highly regarded IP firm is looking to appoint a Senior IP Legal Assistant to join its central London office. Known for its technical excellence, the firm combines an impressive client portfolio with a supportive, partnership-led culture. With a collaborative atmosphere and strong infrastructure, this is an excellent environment for IP professionals seeking long-term progression and work of genuine quality.

This opportunity would suit someone with a background in patent or trade mark support, ideally with formal qualifications such as the CITMA certificate. The role involves working closely with fee earners across multiple practice areas, providing high-level legal administrative support across patent and trade mark matters. You will act as a senior member of the IP support team, contributing to mentoring and team cohesion as well as driving quality in service delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide high-level legal support to fee earners across patent and trade mark portfolios
Liaise confidently with clients and foreign agents, handling queries and managing correspondence
Manage assignments, name and address changes and notarisation/legalisation of documents
Prepare and file official forms with the EPO, UKIPO, EUIPO and WIPO
Produce accurate correspondence tailored to specific client requirements and delivery methods
Maintain and monitor diary systems and deadlines for both yourself and allocated fee earners
Handle coordination of trade mark applications and manage formalities throughout the full lifecycle
Oversee billing processes, including WIP review, invoice request and draft invoice review
Ensure high standards of document management using DMS (e.g. iManage) and case systems (eg Inprotech)
Mentor junior team members, assist with training and contribute to a supportive team environment
Collaborate with colleagues to ensure shared inboxes and workload peaks are handled efficiently
Document key processes, suggest improvements and contribute to firm-wide change initiatives
Manage secure portals, CRM data, portfolio reports and cost estimates
Support ad hoc business and administrative tasks as needed

Requirements:

Extensive experience in trade mark formalities within a law firm or IP firm environment
Strong understanding of UKIPO, EPO, EUIPO and WIPO procedures
Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities
High level of accuracy and attention to detail
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proactive, adaptable and collaborative working style
Familiarity with IP case management systems (eg Inprotech) and document management systems (eg iManage)
Experience mentoring or supporting junior colleagues is advantageous
CITMA qualification is highly desirable
Confident handling of client correspondence and legal documentation independently

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