Legal Administrative Assistant-Trademark Opposition & IP Lit

Gowling WLG; Toronto; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm is seeking a Legal Administrative Assistant for its Intellectual Property Department in Toronto. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience in Trademark Opposition and IP Litigation, demonstrating strong organizational, communication, and client service skills. This role involves preparing filings, managing deadlines, and supporting legal professionals within a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience as a legal administrative assistant.
• Strong knowledge in Intellectual Property Litigation and Trademark Opposition.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and attend to electronic filings with respect to applications and oppositions.
• Monitor filing and opposition deadlines.
• Organize client requests and manage due dates.

Skills

Attention to detail

Client service skills

Excellent communication

Organizational skills

Education

Legal Administrative Assistant Diploma

Tools

Microsoft 365

Inprotech

Job description

ABOUT GOWLING WLG

At Gowling WLG, our dedication to excellence and quality service begins with our people. As a global law firm with offices across Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we pride ourselves on sourcing and retaining top talent who bring energy, passion and commitment to the delivery of outstanding client service.

When it comes to diversity, we not only accept it — we celebrate it, support it and thrive on it. To create an engaging and rewarding place to work, we seek to attract talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. Our aim is to help everyone reach their full potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Employee satisfaction is important to us. We work hard to ensure that our people are motivated, engaged and empowered. Our diverse group of legal professionals, law students, law clerks/paralegals, legal administrative assistants and business support staff work together as a team and are respected and valued for their individual contributions.

PROFILE

We are currently recruiting for Legal Administrative Assistants to join our fast-paced team to provide support to professionals in our Intellectual Property (IP) Department. We are looking for a candidate with experience in Trademark Opposition and IP Litigation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare, amend and attend to electronic filings with respect to applications, summary cancellation proceedings, and oppositions with CIPO
• Monitor filing and opposition deadlines, send reminders and assist professionals in preparing and filing timely responses to deadlines
• Preparation and amendment of commercial documents related to intellectual property matters, all at the direction of legal professionals
• Organize all client requests and independently keep track of due dates, consulting with professionals as appropriate
• Follow-up with clients and/or foreign associates to ensure instructions are received on time to meet all deadlines
• Prepare materials for filing court documents and affidavits for Federal Courts
• Handle inquiries from clients and internal contacts, independently prepare routine correspondence and perform administrative tasks
• Implement and maintain practice management systems on behalf of busy professionals
• Schedule appointments, travel arrangements and manage calendars
• Maintain client contact information in database
• Prepare accounts and manage pre-bills, and have a strong working proficiency with all accounting and billing procedures
• Run related reports and open, close and maintain files
• Other duties as required

QUALIFICATIONS

• Legal Administrative Assistant Diploma from a recognized college preferred
• 5+ years of experience as a legal administrative assistant with proficient experience and knowledge in Intellectual Property Litigation, Trademark Opposition and dealing with Federal and Superior Courts; experience with the Madrid Protocol would be an asset
• Ability to support more than one professional and undertake additional responsibilities as required within the share and team
• Strong attention to detail and exceptional proofreading skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including a strong knowledge of grammar and exceptional spelling and proofreading abilities
• Must possess excellent client service skills with the ability to directly interact in a professional, efficient manner with internal and external clients
• Ability to take instructions, prioritize incoming work, follow through on assignments and manage ongoing tasks
• Highly organized, team player with the ability to work under pressure, deal with changing priorities and meet strict deadlines
• Working knowledge of Inprotech, or similar database and CIPO’s online systems would be an asset
• Strong technical skills, with proficiency with Microsoft 365: Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Excel

Gowling WLG employees benefit from a hybrid work environment.

Not sure if you meet all the requirements? If you are excited about this opportunity but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Gowling WLG is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know.

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.