Legal Administrative Assistant - Intellectual Property, Patents

Gowling WLG International; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Lifestyle allowance

Vacation days & hybrid

Parental leave top-up

Retirement plan

Disability & life insurance

Employee assistance

Recognition rewards

Referral bonuses

Job summary

Gowling WLG is seeking a full-time Legal Administrative Assistant for our Patents group in the Intellectual Property department in Vancouver. The candidate will support professionals with detailed IP work, docketing, and communications with clients and internal teams.

The role requires IP experience, a Legal Administrative Assistant diploma, and strong organization and Office skills to handle a heavy workload in a fast-paced legal environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in Intellectual Property is required.
• Experience with Canadian and foreign patents.
• Diploma in Legal Administrative Assistant or equivalent.
• IP department experience and knowledge of Canadian docketing is preferred.
• Ability to manage heavy, varied workload and tight timelines.
• Strong Microsoft Office skills; excellent written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Prepare legal documents, letters, memos and other documents per precedents and instructions.
• Organize workflow and initiate follow-ups for the professional's practice.
• Manage diary systems and databases to meet deadlines.
• Relieve administrative detail, including accounting, file opening/closing, billing.
• Coordinate document flow between legal professionals, clients and others.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

IP experience

Patent experience

Communication skills

Problem solving

Time management

Education

Legal Administrative Assistant Diploma

Paralegal/Legal Admin background

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

About Gowling Wlg

At Gowling WLG, our commitment to excellence begins with our people. As an international law firm with offices in Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, we’re proud to recruit and retain top talent who bring energy, insight, and a singular focus on delivering exceptional experiences – for our clients and each other. We’re intentional about building a workplace that’s both high-performing and supportive, ensuring that everyone is empowered to do their best work and reach their full potential. Our culture is grounded in our shared values: Raise the Bar, Embrace Differences, and Thrive Together. These values shape how we collaborate, lead, and succeed – across teams, time zones, and career paths.

Whether you’re pursuing a role in law or business services, explore what’s possible and make your mark with Gowling WLG.

PROFILE

Gowling WLG is seeking a full-time Legal Administrative Assistant for our Patents group in our Intellectual Property department. With unmatched expertise in patents, trademarks, brands and designs, copyright, advertising and Intellectual Property litigation, our Firm has been winning cases for clients around the world for over 125 years. Our Intellectual Property Group offers exceptional representation in a dynamic and competitive market. Our Legal Administrative Assistant will work in a team environment providing support to our professionals. The successful candidate will bring excellent attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and a passion for Intellectual Property.

Responsibilities

• Prepare legal documents, letters, memos and other documents as required according to general precedents and instructions from our legal professional, patent agents, and patent coordinators;
• Organize and expedite the flow of work through the professional’s practice, initiating any follow-up action as appropriate;
• Work proactively in the day-to-day support of the professional’s practice including management of diary systems and databases to ensure important deadlines are met;
• Use initiative and good judgement to relieve the professional of administrative detail including but not limited to accounting, opening and closing of files, and billing;
• Coordinate flow of documents between legal professionals, various internal and external individuals and clients at all levels;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in Intellectual Property is required;
• Canadian and Foreign Patent experience;
• Legal Administrative Assistant Diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution;
• Previous experience within an IP department and familiarity with Canadian docketing practices is preferred, but not a requirement;
• Produce a high quality and quantity of work products, occasionally under tight timelines;
• Ability to handle a heavy and varied workload;
• Strong computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Strong problem solving skills, including the ability to set priorities while dealing with conflicting and emerging priorities;
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with other staff and professionals.

Benefits/Perks

Gowling WLG’s total rewards program is designed to foster a culture where high performance and personal well-being go hand-in-hand. We support your career and life with:

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and mental health coverage, plus an annual lifestyle spending allowance
• Benefits coverage for Firm members and their dependents from day one!
• 15+ vacation days and hybrid work flexibility
• Parental leave top-up for 26 weeks (after 12 months of full-time employment)
• Group Retirement Savings Plan with employer match
• Financial protection through short & long-term disability, life, accident & critical illness insurance
• Employee & Family Assistance Program, guided CBT, and an internal network of 120+ trained Mental Health First Aid responders
• Recognition awards, appreciation events, and a supportive, collaborative work culture
• Perks and preferred pricing programs, referral bonuses and more

The starting range for this role is $52,000 to $63,700. Starting salary will be determined based on an applicant’s individual skills, competencies and unique qualifications. Gowling WLG employees have the potential to exceed this range based on tenure and performance.

This position is currently vacant and is open to both internal and external candidates. Gowling WLG is recruiting for this role to support ongoing firm needs and team operations.

This employer may use tools within our applicant tracking system that include artificial intelligence–supported features, such as automated candidate matching. These tools do not make hiring decisions; all screening, assessments, and selections are reviewed and completed by human recruiters and hiring managers.

Gowling WLG is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you are in need of accommodation or support at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know.