IP Patent Associate — Electrical/CS (Hybrid, DC)

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 235,000 - 365,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

On-site Wellness Center

Flexible spending accounts

Wellness program

Firm-paid life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) retirement savings plan

Transportation commuter benefit

Back-up childcare

Pet insurance discount

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. in Washington, D.C. (hybrid) seeks an experienced patent attorney to draft, file, and prosecute utility and design patent applications.

The role emphasizes interpreting inventor disclosures and technical documentation while addressing USPTO Office Actions and developing persuasive responses. The candidate must have a JD from an ABA‑accredited school, a BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering, USPTO registration, and at least 2 years in patent prosecution,

Qualifications

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field of study.
• JD from an ABA‑accredited institution.
• USPTO registration number.
• Minimum 2 years of experience with patent preparation and prosecution, primarily in Electrical/Computer Engineering spaces including semiconductor, wireless, and hardware technologies.

Responsibilities

• Patent Application Drafting: Prepare and file original utility and design patent applications, drafting detailed specifications, claims, and figures based on inventor disclosures and technical documentation.
• Office Action Responses: Analyze USPTO Office Actions, formulate strategic arguments to overcome rejections based on novelty and non‑obviousness, and draft persuasive responses and amendments.
• Legal Research and Analysis: Conduct comprehensive legal research and analysis of statutes, regulations, case law, and administrative decisions (e.g., USPTO rules) to develop sound legal strategies and arguments.
• Client Management and Communication: Maintain regular, clear, and professional communication with internal clients; provide timely updates, gather necessary information, and respond to Director and senior Associate assignments and ad hoc requests.
• Inventor Interviews: Interface directly with inventors and engineers to elicit invention details, understand the prior art landscape, and secure necessary information for application preparation.
• Portfolio Management: Manage and monitor the prosecution dockets for a designated portfolio of domestic and international patent applications.

Skills

Patent drafting

Office action handling

Legal research

Client communication

Inventor interviewing

Portfolio management

Education

BS in Electrical Engineering / Computer Engineering

Juris Doctor (ABA-accredited)

USPTO registration

Job description

Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. in Washington, D.C. (hybrid) seeks an experienced patent attorney to draft, file, and prosecute utility and design patent applications.

The role emphasizes interpreting inventor disclosures and technical documentation while addressing USPTO Office Actions and developing persuasive responses. The candidate must have a JD from an ABA‑accredited school, a BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering, USPTO registration, and at least 2 years in patent prosecution,