Patent Paralegal - job 1 of 4

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

The Patent Paralegal provides support to a team of attorneys, prepares filings and documents, and monitors deadlines. The incumbent must adapt to shifting priorities, short timelines, and strict attention to detail and deadlines is critical. The Patent Paralegal performs the following with moderate supervision from either a managing Attorney, Paralegal Manager, Senior Paralegal II or Senior Paralegal.

Responsibilities:

• Identify and resolve routine issues within area of responsibility by using legal knowledge and experience to develop solutions and implement resolutions.
• Plan and prepare for meetings with internal and external stakeholders and maintain departmental files in compliance with corporate and government regulations.
• Assist in process improvement and resource development to meet current and future needs of Legal department.
• Assist others with executing legal projects to support Department or Legal Division
• Collaborate with or delegate to Legal support staff, including Project Assistants and other Paralegals, in assigned responsibilities.
• Collaborate regularly with Attorneys and business stakeholders for assigned projects to find solutions to routine legal issues.
• Attend cross functional team meetings.

Patent Specific Responsibilities: 

• Proactively manages outside law firm paralegals and vendors, including determination and implementation of cost containment. Also, manages docket deadlines for multiple attorneys. Oversight from Senior Paralegal II, Paralegal Manager, AbbVie Counsel or other supervisory roles. Confirms accuracy of computer docket system and case files.
• Independently review, draft and prepare documents for conducting the daily business of managing a patent portfolio and prosecuting patent filings aligned with attorney guidance.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies in managing the patent portfolio. Process incoming patent office documents and correspondence from foreign counsel, prepare responses for attorney review and transmit to foreign associates and/or outside counsel. Obtains certified translations and priority documents.
• Conduct searches and provide reports for patent portfolio analysis based on publicly available databases and internal docket system. Prepare and attend to legalization of assignments and power of attorney documents; ensures formality requirements are met for each patent case. Prepare report letters to inventors and stakeholders and prepare form letters for attorney signature.
• Provide training and coverage, as needed, for IP prosecution matters to other paralegals.
• Provide guidance to the attorney team regarding country specific application of laws and regulations related to patent prosecution.
• Lead and support ad hoc projects related to patent prosecution and portfolio management.

• Bachelor’s Degree and/or ABA approved Paralegal Certificate required.
• Minimum 2 years experience within a law firm or legal department of a corporation required.
• Position requires discretion, independent judgment and critical thinking for managing and completing assignments.
• Strong communication skills required to effectively gather relevant information from business stakeholders and negotiate both internally and externally on routine matters.
• Strong writing and analytical skills required to review, draft and prepare legal-related documents.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal skills, project management and multitasking skills to manage multiple matters, set own work priorities and meet required work deadlines.
• Exercises foundational understanding of rules, procedures and institutions for interpreting and enforcing laws in their area of expertise, and preferably with respect to the pharmaceutical industry.
• Foundational problem solving skills required to identify and analyze routine issues in order to develop and propose solutions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint applications. Ability to learn new systems as needed.    
• Prefer experience with both US and Foreign patent experience.
• Experience with United States, Patent Cooperation Treaty, and foreign application processes, rules, regulations and filing systems is required.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Visio.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of document management systems, such as iManage / First to File.
• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of patent docketing systems, such as IPManager.
• Operates independently with minimal supervision.

*This role is a hybrid opportunity requiring at minimum three (3) days onsite in our Waltham, MA offices.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​​​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.​​

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​​

• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​​​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. 

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html

US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:

https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html