Practice Assistant

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

BLG, Canada's leading law firm, seeks a Practice Assistant to support its Trademark Agents and legal staff within the Intellectual Property group. You will help coordinate calendars, manage documents, support billing and client communications, and assist with pitches and client service.

The role offers opportunities to grow in a national firm that values collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement, with a focus on delivering exceptional client experiences.

Qualifications

• Post-Secondary Law Clerk, Paralegal or Legal Administration diploma.
• Minimum 3 years’ IP Assistant experience supporting Trademark Agents/Lawyers.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, research tools and other firm systems; typing ~60 wpm.
• Committed to staying current with technology and best practices.
• Excellent communication, organizational and teamwork skills.
• Attention to detail with proactive, solution-focused approach.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Be the principal point of contact for assigned Agents and support staff.
• Coordinate scheduling of important dates including client meetings, conferences, and team meetings.
• Oversee correspondence, documents, and reports produced by the Document Production team.
• Diligently monitor Agent daily diaries.
• Support matter intake, billing and collections workflows.
• Assist with marketing activities including pitches and presentations.
• Provide day-to-day support to meet Agents' needs and deliver excellent client service.

Skills

Communication

MS Office

Typing speed 60 wpm

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Education

Post-Secondary Law Clerk, Paralegal or Legal Administration diploma

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Excel

PowerPoint

Research tools

Job description

We are BLG: Canada’s Law Firm. Our culture is one of vigilance and curiosity, Firm-wide collaboration, unfailing mutual respect and dedication. We pride ourselves on having standout talent and delivering an exceptional client experience. We are a future-minded Firm delivering high-value advice and known for our unwavering commitment to innovation, diversity and inclusion, community involvement and talent development. Learn more about us at www.blg.com.

Purpose of Role

The Practice Assistant is a key member of a dynamic and innovative group of Trademark Agents, clerks and legal support staff, providing the highest level of service to our clients, while having the opportunity to cultivate your skills as part of our successful national Intellectual Property Trademark team, within Canada’s premier full-service law firm. At BLG you will have access to exceptional opportunities, working with a supportive team focused on providing you with meaningful opportunities to tailor your career path in order to reach your full potential. This role is replacing a current vacancy.

Key Responsibilities and Skills

Right from the start you will:

• Be the principle point of contact for assigned Agents, assuming overall accountability for work requested involving key members of the support team, such as Clerks, Document Specialists, Administrative Assistants and members of the Business Services team
• Actively participate as a contributing member of the team to support and proactively organize the flow of work for specific Agents in the Trademark Intellectual Property practice
• Coordinate the scheduling of important dates including client meetings, conferences, and Agent and team meetings
• Be accountable for correspondence, documents, reports, presentations, etc. produced by the Document Production team before they are passed to the relevant Agent and undertake amendments where appropriate
• Diligently monitor Agent daily diaries
• Support and coordinate commercial management activities such as matter intake, billing and collections
• Support Agents in marketing activities including involvement in preparation of pitches and presentations
• Provide day to day support as required to meet the needs of our Agents and provide excellent client service

Key Competencies

What you will bring to this role:

• Post-Secondary Law Clerk, Paralegal or Legal Administration diploma
• A minimum of 3 years’ relevant experience as an IP Assistant supporting Trademark Agents/Lawyers
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, research tools and other systems implemented by the firm and an accurate typing speed of approximately 60 words per minute
• Committed to furthering their knowledge to remain up-to-date on current technology and best practices
• Excellent communication, organizational and teamwork skills
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to think ahead and use initiative
• Flexible, dependable and able to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines
• Conscientious, approachable and enthusiastic
• Able to quickly build confidence, respect, and trust with others
• Have a positive approach to daily tasks and have a solutions focused working method
• Adaptability to ever changing priorities and deadlines

The expected salary range for this position is $55,000 - $70,000, depending on level of experience, region/location, and other factors.

BLG is committed to building a diverse workplace reflective of the communities we serve and to fostering an inclusive culture where Firm members feel valued, respected and inspired to thrive as their authentic selves.

We value diversity of thought and the unique skills, perspectives and experience each individual brings to BLG.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and encourage applicants from members of groups that have been historically underrepresented, including but not limited to First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, people who identify as women and/or LGBTQ2S+.

We also strive to provide an accessible candidate experience. Please let us know if you need any accommodations during the recruitment process.

We are BLG: Canada's Law Firm. We pride ourselves on having outstanding, talented people and delivering an exceptional client experience. We are a future-minded firm, delivering high-value advice and known for our commitment to innovation, diversity and inclusion, community involvement and talent development. Our culture is one of curiosity, firm-wide collaboration, mutual respect, dedication and continuous improvement.

We look forward to hearing from you and exploring how you can contribute to our team.

For more information, visit us here.