IP Practice Administrative Assistant

Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC is seeking an IP Practice Assistant in Fort Worth, Texas. This role involves supporting the Intellectual Property team by tracking tasks assigned to attorneys, processing invoices, and maintaining professional communication with clients and foreign associates.

The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of experience in Intellectual Property tasks and be detail-oriented and proactive. A competitive salary and benefits package are offered for this crucial role.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience with Intellectual Property processes.
• Experience with proactive task monitoring and follow-ups.
• Strong communication skills with clients and foreign associates.

Responsibilities

• Track outstanding tasks assigned to attorneys and paralegals.
• Process vendor invoices for timely payments.
• Draft status update emails for clients regarding their applications.
• Maintain a structured daily follow-up system.

Skills

Detail-oriented

Proactive

Organizational skills

Knowledge of USPTO filings

Task Tracking

Client communication

Workflow optimization

Tools

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Planner

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Our Firm is currently recruiting an IP Practice Assistant. This position will support our Intellectual Property team in a highly collaborative work environment.

Position Overview

We are seeking a detail-oriented, proactive, and highly organized IP Practice Assistant to support our Intellectual Property legal team. This role is critical to ensuring that operational workflows run smoothly, deadlines are met in a timely manner, and clients and foreign associates remain fully informed.

The ideal candidate will act as the ultimate “follow-up champion” for the practice. You will be responsible for tracking outstanding tasks assigned to attorneys, facilitating the processing of invoices and engagement agreements, and maintaining polished, professional communication with our clients and foreign associates. This is a multi-faceted position that helps in all areas to ensure that the client is serviced in a timely and professional manner, while helping to monitor task execution.

Key Responsibilities and Qualifications

• Must have at least 5 years of experience in most of these tasks, including knowledge of filings with the USPTO and the Intellectual Property process.
• Task Tracking & Persistence: Proactively monitor and follow up on pending tasks assigned to IP attorneys and paralegals. Ensure that internal deadlines are communicated and met well ahead of statutory drop-dead dates. Use of Microsoft Teams, Planner, Chat, and Outlook with multiple Inboxes.
• Invoice Processing: Ensure vendor invoices are properly routed for timely payments.
• Client Communications and Foreign Associate Communications: Draft and send regular status update emails to clients regarding the progress of their patent, trademark, and copyright applications, office action responses, upcoming deadlines, and outstanding input required.
• Workflow Optimization: Maintain a structured, daily follow-up system to ensure no client matter or attorney task slips through the cracks.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. Applicants should include a copy of their resume and cover letter, including salary information, to [e-mail]