Lathrop GPM, one of the country’s leading law firms, is now hiring Managers of Intellectual Property (IP) Services across its offices.
Lathrop GPM is a full-service Am Law 200 law firm with offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; Jefferson City, Missouri; Los Angeles, California; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have. , Overland Park, Kansas; St. Cloud, MN; St. Louis, Missouri; This position can be placed at any of our locations.
Reporting to the firm’s director, the IP Service Manager, Practice Management/Practice Group Leader, will play a key leadership role throughout Lathrop GPM’s IP management infrastructure. This position is responsible for all administrative aspects related to managing the docketing team. This professional also plays an integral role in the development and adherence to policies and procedures across all IP service areas designed to meet the specific requirements of our clients.
Job Description:
- Monitor, evaluate, and revise workflow processes and procedures to improve efficiency and proactively respond to changes in USPTO rules and procedures
- Manage and coordinate the scheduling and coordination of documentation team meetings
- Develop, implement and maintain a training program to continuously improve the intellectual property skills of the intellectual property support group.
- Direct supervision of docket leads, docket specialists, patent assistants, and pension specialists, including daily tracking of time, attendance, and punctuality
- Direct and prioritize departmental workflows to support established objectives with a focus on accuracy, productivity standards and risk management
- Communicate regularly with firm management, management, attorneys/paralegals, and assistants to ensure business concerns are addressed in a timely manner
- Acting as a backup (or assigning backups as needed) for all positions under your control to maintain a solid workflow when required for workloads and staffing:
- Manage the practice group’s internal IP mailbox.Respond to all inquiries and distribute new cases
- Domestic and international mail and fax processing
- Creation of new national and international patent application files, including entry of case information and appropriate deadlines in the Foundation IP Docketing System
- Process PTO mail and papers (response and non-response) submitted to US and foreign patent offices
- Process daily PTO filings and ensure final day dockets are cleared each day
- Maintain prior knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent examination laws, rules and regulations, and modify departmental procedures and/or docketing workflows as necessary
- Investigating and troubleshooting docket and/or annuity issues and questions
- Manage quality control and workflow coordination related to the company’s docketing system, projects and teams
- Maintain departmental databases and spreadsheets containing the company’s customer number processes (sponsorship, data cleansing, etc.) at the USPTO
- Manage the creation, scheduling and distribution of daily and weekly reports
- Oversee the creation and maintenance of process and procedural documents
- Manages the creation and maintenance of new users on the IP system.
- Foundation IP officials
- PracticeLink Users and Permissions
- CPA Global PracticeLink Users and Permissions
- Maintain monthly subscription costs by managing record counts and retention policies within Foundation IP
- Monitor changes in the USPTO office, communicate relevant information to the department, and act as a resource for all practitioners within the department
- From an operational perspective, participate in all lateral groups, individual practitioners, and the acceptance and onboarding of new client transfers to the practice group.Includes new hire training on systems and processes
- Test new updates and fixes, including troubleshooting issues, and establish best practices before implementation
- Manage the money transfer process and coordinate with the company’s information governance team
Oversight responsibilities include:
- Directly supervise employees.Carry out oversight responsibilities in accordance with organizational policies and applicable laws
- Plan, assign and direct work
- Conducting performance evaluations
- Establish salary levels at the time of hiring and performance reviews.
- Facilitate conflict resolution
- Approve weekly time records
Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees. Plan, assign and direct work. performance evaluation; rewarding and disciplining employees;Handling Complaints and Resolving Problems
Requirements:
- 5+ years of experience in a law firm with good knowledge of patent and trademark filings and 3+ years of supervision/management experience, university degree preferred
- Ability to organize and prioritize a large number of tasks and complete them under tight time constraints
- Advanced knowledge of USPTO rules, practices and procedures required
- Advanced knowledge of EFS filings with the USPTO required
- Foundation IP (FIP) experience, practice links preferred
- Required IP system and process management experience
- Supervision experience required.
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with others.Collaboration is key in this position
- Focus and evaluate risk management as a fundamental element of all intellectual property work
- Excellent communication, organizational, problem-solving and analytical skills
- strong proofreading skills
- Ability to perform well under pressure and adapt quickly to changing priorities
- Ability to exercise sound judgment
- Ability to manage time, people and resources to meet deadlines
- Ability to take initiative, manage projects, and handle multiple competing priorities
- Flexibility and ability to adapt to changing priorities
This location supports multiple time zones. Interested candidates are expected to work outside scheduled hours as needed.
Interested Candidates:
Interested candidates will be asked to apply online with their resume/resume.
Tell them you found a location at IPWatchdog JobOrtunities™ Job Board.
Lathrop GPM celebrates and supports diversity and the benefits it brings to our workplace, our customers and our communities. Lathrop GPM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
Recruit and employ employees without discrimination based on race, color, sex, sex, religion, age, national origin, military status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other reason; , Lathrop GPM’s employment policies and practices. Status protected by applicable law.
Lathrop GPM LLP offers a competitive compensation and benefits package and a professional, challenging yet comfortable working environment. Lathrop GPM does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Resumes submitted to Lathrop GPM employees without prior approval from the HR manager will be considered unsolicited and become the property of Lathrop GPM.
EOE/M/F/D/V No phone
The current expected salary range for Colorado applicants (required by CO law) is $100,000 to $150,000. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below range.
Comprehensive benefits plan including healthcare, retirement plan, PTO, parental leave, paid leave including short/long term disability.
