Main Duties

Preparing documentation for patent, design, and trade mark matters, and monitoring the formalities processes for filing UK, European, international (PCT), and other applications, including:

• Typing and amending technical Word documents.
• Preparing case-specific forms and letters from standard templates.
• Maintaining formalities records for fee-earner caseloads (e.g., tracking US IDS records for a patent family), and helping fee earners retrieve information from IP office websites and databases (EPO, UKIPO, EUIPO, WIPO, and similar).
• Supporting assignments, changes of name/address, and other recordals - gathering requirements and cost information, preparing documents such as Powers of Attorney for client signature, drafting instructions to overseas associates, tracking recordal progress, and reporting back to clients.
• Drafting routine correspondence and emails to clients, IP offices, and overseas agents.
• Preparing standard client reporting letters.
• Monitoring attorney deadlines and workloads on a daily/weekly basis, liaising with the Records team, and flagging or actioning items as needed.
• Preparing documentation and presentations to support attorneys' committee work and other professional activities.
• Instructing overseas associates on filing new patent, design, and trade mark applications (including PCT national phase entries) and managing all related filing formalities.
• Managing incoming and outgoing correspondence - sending reminders/acknowledgements and preparing or sending emails on attorneys' behalf.
• Handling ancillary documentation tasks such as file management, photocopying, and scanning.
• Maintaining attorneys' diaries.
• Preparing client cost estimates.
• Running status reports and portfolio schedules for clients as required.
• Recording official fees and service charges in the billing system.
• Preparing invoices.
• Regularly reviewing attorneys' work in progress (e.g., unbilled time or charges).
• Checking and updating new client details on the case management database and other records.
• Keeping client files updated with client-specific procedures (e.g., billing and correspondence preferences).
• Arranging attorney travel, preparing itineraries, and handling expense claims where required.
• Acting as first point of contact for client queries on an attorney's behalf, handling calls, and general enquiries.
• Coordinating internal and external meetings, including room/venue bookings and refreshments.
• Providing ad hoc administrative support to attorneys as required.