Lateral Associate, Electronics Patent Prosecution and/or PTAB Litigation – 2nd to 5th year

Sterne Kessler; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 285,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

On-site Wellness Center

Flexible spending accounts

Wellness program

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) retirement

Transportation benefit

Back-up childcare

Pet insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Sterne Kessler in Washington, D.C. seeks an Associate in the Electronics Group to draft and prosecute patent applications, interact with inventors, and manage portfolios across domestic and international filings.

The role requires a JD, USPTO registration, and at least 2 years of patent experience in electrical/computer engineering contexts including semiconductors and wireless hardware. Hybrid work and competitive benefits are offered.

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, in Electrical/Computer Engineering, including semiconductor, wireless, and hardware technologies.

Responsibilities

• Patent Application Drafting: prepare and file original utility and design patent applications with detailed specifications, claims, and figures.
• Office Action Responses: analyze USPTO actions; craft arguments to overcome rejections of novelty and non-obviousness; draft responses and amendments.
• Legal Research and Analysis: conduct legal research on statutes, regulations, case law, and PTO rules to support strategies.
• Client Management and Communication: maintain regular, clear communication with internal clients; provide timely updates and gather information.
• Inventor Interviews: interact with inventors/engineers to elicit invention details and prior art.
• Portfolio Management: manage prosecution dockets for a portfolio of domestic and international patent applications.

Skills

Patent drafting

Office actions

Legal research

Client management

Inventor interviews

Portfolio management

Education

BS in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Juris Doctor (JD)

USPTO registration

Job description

Location

• Washington, D.C. (hybrid)

About Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.

Named for several years as a "great place" to work by The Washington Post and Washington Business Journal, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C. is proud to be one of the most highly regarded intellectual property specialty law firms in the world. We recognize that it is the talent and dynamism of each individual at Sterne Kessler that makes that possible. With that in mind, we have cultivated an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating with just the right touch of fun and exuberance. We offer a competitive compensation package with excellent benefits and are Metro-accessible in a prime downtown location with many nearby restaurants and shops.

Sterne Kessler is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Role location

• This role is based in our Washington, D.C. office on a hybrid basis, with regular in-office days. You have flexibility to pick which days you work in the office.

Responsibilities & Requirements

As an Associate in the Electronics Group, you will be tasked with the following:

• Patent Application Drafting: Prepare and file original utility and design patent applications, including 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 (§102) and non-obviousness (§103), 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, providing timely updates, gathering necessary information, and being responsive to Director and senior Associate assignments and ad hoc requests. Over time as the Associate gains confidence and abilities in their individual legal practice, Associates may be tasked with external client communication as well, under supervision of Directors.
• 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.

Requirements

• 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 the Electrical and Computer Engineering spaces including semiconductor, wireless communications, and hardware technologies

Preferred skills

• Some exposure to PTAB litigation proceedings
• MS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering, or related field of study

Working with Us

Compensation philosophy

The actual salary rate offered to candidates within that range will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, years of relevant experience, education, and the candidate’s overall qualifications for the position as assessed by the firm.

Salary range

• The salary range for this role is $200,000 to $285,000 at a 1900 billable hour goal or $235,000 to $365,000 at a 2000 hour billable goal.

Billable hours: The firm has a flexible hours program under which an Associate can request a lower billable hour goal with a commensurate salary. Under the flexible hours program, you may select a billable hour goal in the range of 1400 to 2000 hours. Associates at our firm primarily doing patent or trademark prosecution tend to select hour goals less than 2000 hours, while attorneys primarily doing litigation and/or inter parties work are more likely to select hour goals of 2000 hours.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans in addition to virtual care services through CloseKnit
• On-site Wellness Center in our Washington, D.C. office
• Staffed by a Nurse Practitioner, offers firm employees and other qualified family members with a range of medical services
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare, dependent care
• Wellness program
• Firm-paid life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) coverage
• Firm-paid short and long term disability insurance
• Supplemental life insurance and supplemental AD&D coverage, supplemental long term disability insurance*, long term care insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Transportation commuter benefit program
• Back-up childcare and family support
• Pet insurance discount
• Employee Assistance Program services

#LI-Hybrid OR #LI-Remote