Senior Trademark Paralegal

BCL Legal; Greater Manchester; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

BCL Legal is seeking a Senior Trade Mark Paralegal in Manchester to drive day‑to‑day management of national and international TM portfolios, support junior paralegals, and coordinate workflow across the IP team.

The role emphasizes leadership, mentoring and providing high‑quality service to a diverse client base across multiple industries.

Qualifications

• CITMA qualification and at least five years' experience in IP/Trade Marks.
• Experience managing UK and international trade mark portfolios.
• Proven experience supervising paralegals or support staff.
• Experience in private practice or in-house legal environment.
• Strong leadership and mentoring mindset.

Responsibilities

• Managing and allocating work across a team of Trade Mark Paralegals.
• Providing technical guidance, mentoring and training to junior team members.
• Supporting workflow management and identifying opportunities for process improvement.
• Managing UK and international trade mark portfolios across a variety of industries.
• Conducting online trade mark research and searches using relevant trade mark databases.
• Drafting and overseeing domestic and international trade mark applications.
• Managing the filing and prosecution of trade mark applications in the UK and overseas.
• Reviewing and responding to official communications from trade mark offices and advising clients accordingly.
• Managing trade mark renewals and other portfolio maintenance requirements.
• Supporting the management of third‑party trade mark disputes, including oppositions and cancellation actions.
• Working closely with lawyers, clients and other stakeholders to deliver a high‑quality service.

Skills

Team leadership

Mentoring

Trade mark portfolio management

Client service

Education

CITMA qualification

Job description

Senior Trade Mark Paralegal

Leading International Firm l Manchester

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Trade Mark Paralegal to join a highly regarded international law firm and play a key role in the continued growth of its market‑leading Brands & Designs practice.

Driven by increasing client demand and strategic expansion of the IP team, this is an excellent opportunity for a CITMA‑qualified Trade Mark Paralegal looking to take the next step in their career, develop their leadership skills and work alongside experienced IP specialists on a broad range of high‑profile national and international matters.

About the Team

The Brands & Designs Group provides a comprehensive range of trade mark and brand management services to an impressive international client base.

The team advises on the management and protection of significant UK and global trade mark portfolios, as well as trade mark searching, clearance, filing and prosecution, monitoring, renewals and portfolio maintenance.

The practice also advises on third‑party trade mark disputes, including oppositions and cancellation proceedings, providing clients with a broad and commercially focused intellectual property service.

The Role

You will be responsible for the day‑to‑day management of trade mark portfolios across a diverse range of sectors, supporting clients with their UK and international trade mark requirements.

Alongside your technical responsibilities, you will take an active role in coordinating the work of other Trade Mark Paralegals, providing guidance and helping to maintain high standards of quality, efficiency and client service.

Key responsibilities

• Managing and allocating work across a team of Trade Mark Paralegals.
• Providing technical guidance, mentoring and training to junior team members.
• Supporting workflow management and identifying opportunities for process improvement.
• Managing UK and international trade mark portfolios across a variety of industries.
• Conducting online trade mark research and searches using relevant trade mark databases.
• Drafting and overseeing domestic and international trade mark applications.
• Managing the filing and prosecution of trade mark applications in the UK and overseas.
• Reviewing and responding to official communications from trade mark offices and advising clients accordingly.
• Managing trade mark renewals and other portfolio maintenance requirements.
• Supporting the management of third‑party trade mark disputes, including oppositions and cancellation actions.
• Working closely with lawyers, clients and other stakeholders to deliver a high‑quality service.

The Opportunity

This role offers considerably more than technical trade mark portfolio management. It is an opportunity to become an integral part of a growing IP practice and develop your career within a supportive, specialist environment.

You will have the opportunity to work on market‑leading national and international trade mark matters, supported by a strong team of subject matter experts and a broad client base spanning multiple industries.

About You

You will ideally have:

• CITMA qualification and at least five years' experience working in IP and/or Trade Marks.
• Strong experience managing trade mark portfolios of varying sizes and complexity.
• Demonstrable experience of UK and international trade mark filing and prosecution.
• Previous experience supervising, coordinating or allocating work to other paralegals or support staff. Formal line management experience would be advantageous.
• Experience gained within either a private practice law firm or an in‑house legal environment.
• A genuine interest in supporting the development of colleagues and contributing to a positive, high-performance team culture.

This is a particularly strong opportunity for a Senior Trade Mark Paralegal, CITMA-qualified Trade Mark Paralegal or experienced IP Paralegal who wants to combine technical trade mark expertise with greater responsibility for team development and leadership.

BCL Legal is an equal opportunities employer.