Hybrid IP & Advocacy Practice Director

Dorsey & Whitney LLP; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 195,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Parental leave

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

Dorsey & Whitney LLP seeks a Practice Group Director to drive success across Patent, Trademark, Regulatory Affairs, Labor & Employment, and Construction Litigation groups. You’ll partner with Practice Group leadership and key admin teams to align priorities with firmwide initiatives and champion operational excellence in a hybrid setting across U.S.

offices. You will oversee workflow design, staffing, budgeting, and performance management while advancing people-centered processes and proactive

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10–15 years of supervisory and management experience.
• 7+ years of patent and trademark experience (US/foreign filing, prosecution, maintenance, docketing).
• Knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent & trademark rules and procedures.
• Strong leadership and project-management skills; ability to manage multiple initiatives under pressure.
• Excellent collaboration, communication, analytical ability, and judgment with risk management.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic advisor to firm and Practice Group leadership on operational and administrative matters.
• Lead operational initiatives within Patent and Trademark practices, including staffing, workflow design, and resource allocation.
• Coordinate with HR, Finance, IS, KM, Marketing to implement firm initiatives in Practice Groups.
• Lead people-focused initiatives: onboarding/offboarding, succession planning, training, performance management, and associate advancement.
• Monitor budgets, reporting, and profitability; advise on optimization opportunities.
• Facilitate client reporting and cross-practice collaborations with Marketing and sponsorships.
• Support strategic business plans, track progress, and remove roadblocks across Practice Groups.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Budgeting & forecasting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Dorsey & Whitney LLP seeks a Practice Group Director to drive success across Patent, Trademark, Regulatory Affairs, Labor & Employment, and Construction Litigation groups. You’ll partner with Practice Group leadership and key admin teams to align priorities with firmwide initiatives and champion operational excellence in a hybrid setting across U.S.

offices. You will oversee workflow design, staffing, budgeting, and performance management while advancing people-centered processes and proactive