Intellectual Property Paralegal

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP seeks an Intellectual Property Paralegal in its New York office to support attorneys across IP, technology and corporate transactions. Primary focus on patents, trademarks, copyrights, and domain names with involvement through transaction stages.

The role requires 2–5 years of IP paralegal experience, strong research skills, and proficiency with IP databases and document management tools. Excellent organization and collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with high academic standing.
• 2–5 years paralegal or comparable legal-services experience with IP matters preferred.
• Experience with IP due diligence in corporate transactions and researching IP assets preferred.
• Strong IP research and diligence knowledge.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills with client service focus.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple matters and meet deadlines.
• Attention to detail and the ability to follow instructions and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Conduct IP due diligence for mergers and acquisitions and prepare summaries for attorney review.
• Navigate IP databases (USPTO, CorSearch, Cipher, LexMachina) for asset status.
• Research ownership, status, and public records of IP assets (patents, trademarks, copyrights).
• Review IP disclosure schedules and compare against public records for discrepancies.
• Organize filings and records from public databases; obtain IP filings.
• Perform lien and security-interest searches on IP assets.
• Maintain organized electronic files and monitor deadlines.
• Communicate status and escalate issues to attorneys as needed.
• Assist with special IP-related projects and research.
• Keep knowledge current on IP lifetimes, filings, and regulations.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Drafting & proofreading

Research

Time management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Adobe Acrobat

iManage

Legal AI tools

Job description

OVERVIEW

The Intellectual Property Paralegal supports attorneys in connection with a broad range of intellectual property, technology and corporate transactional matters. This role will primarily focus on IP work involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, domain names and other intellectual property assets and will assist attorneys throughout various stages of transactions and other IP-related matters.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conducts intellectual property due diligence in connection with mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions and prepares clear and concise summaries for attorney review;
• Navigates IP databases such as USPTO, CorSearch, Cipher, LexMachina, etc.;
• Researches and verifies ownership, status and other publicly available information relating to patents, trademarks, copyrights, domain names and other intellectual property assets;
• Reviews IP disclosure schedules and compares information against public records to identify discrepancies, omissions or other matters requiring attorney review;
• Obtains and organizes patent, trademark, copyright and other intellectual property filings and records from appropriate public databases;
• Conducts lien and security-interest searches relating to specific intellectual property assets;
• Maintains organized electronic files and work product;
• Monitors assignments and deadlines, communicates proactively regarding status and workload, and escalates issues requiring attorney attention;
• Assists with special projects, research and other IP-related assignments;
• Maintains general knowledge regarding intellectual property lifetimes, regulations, filings, etc.; and
• Performs other duties, as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree with high academic standing;
• At least 2-5 years of paralegal or comparable legal-services experience with meaningful experience supporting intellectual property matters strongly preferred;
• Experience with intellectual property due diligence in corporate transactions, as well as experience researching patents, trademarks, copyrights and other registered IP assets preferred;
• Strong knowledge of intellectual property research and diligence practices preferred;
• Excellent organizational, written and verbal communication skills, with a strong commitment to client service and team work;
• Ability to exercise initiative, problem-solve and proactively identify and elevate potential issues to attorneys;
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple matters, priorities and strict deadlines;
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions, work independently and collaborate effectively with a team;
• Strong research, document review, drafting and proofreading skills;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe Acrobat; experience with iManage, legal AI tools and legal research or third-party real estate databases preferred;
• Notary public commission required or willingness to obtain promptly after hire; and
• The flexibility to work a considerable amount of overtime and be available, as needed.

This position is located in our New York office. The hours for this position are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The estimated salary range for this position is $70,000 to $90,000 plus overtime. The actual salary offered will be based on a wide range of factors, including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and where applicable, licensure or certification obtained. Market and Firm factors are also considered. In addition to base salary and discretionary bonus(es), we offer a generous employee benefits package including, but not limited to, paid time off, medical, dental, vision care, 401(k) and substantial health club discounts.