Paralegal - Intellectual Property

American Intellectual Property Law Association; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 59,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive cash compensation

Annual bonus

Health benefits

Educational benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Matching gifts program

Job summary

State Farm seeks a paralegal to join the Intellectual Property (IP) Section of the Corporate Law Department in Chicago. You will support patent, trademark, and copyright matters, interact with outside counsel, and assist attorneys in managing IP portfolios and litigation.

The role requires IP experience, strong docketing, and the ability to work in a hybrid in-office schedule including weekends/holidays. Travel may be required; CE participation is encouraged.

Qualifications

• Paralegal degree/certificate (or equivalent education).
• 3+ years IP experience with patent/trademark/copyright workflows.
• Proficiency with USPTO electronic systems and docketing tools.
• Experience performing IP risk reviews for marketing content and clearance.

Responsibilities

• Assist counsel with drafting and filing patent, trademark, and copyright documents.
• Review marketing content to flag potential IP issues for attorney review.
• Monitor trademark watch and clearance; triage issues and deadlines.
• Draft cease and desist letters under attorney direction.
• Support UDRP matters, including evidence gathering and deadlines.
• Conduct legal/factual research and summarize for attorney review.
• Respond to inquiries from internal departments and external associates.
• Use IP docketing and case management systems to manage matters and deadlines.
• Travel may be required for job-related activities.
• Maintain paralegal competency through CE programs.
• May work irregular hours, including weekends/holidays.

Skills

IP law

Docketing

Legal research

Communication

Education

Paralegal degree/certificate

Tools

FoundationIP

Anaqua

CPI

USPTO portals (EFS-Web/Patent Center/TEAS)

Job description

Location

US-IL-Chicago

Job Category

Legal, Compliance, and Risk Management

Position Type

Regular Full Time

Req ID

46566

Overview

Being good neighbors — helping people, investing in our communities, and making the world a better place — is who we are at State Farm. It is at the core of how we operate and the reason for our success. We're moving with urgency to become a Next Gen Good Neighbor, with technology that strengthens human connections and enhances the customer experience. As an employee, you'll spend less time navigating systems and more time applying judgment, empathy, and expertise in the moments that matter most.

Location

2 N. Riverside Plz Ste 1600, Chicago, IL 60606

Hybrid

In this position, you should plan to spend time working in the office 3 days per week (60% in-office over the course of the year). Work arrangements could change over time based on business need. Your manager will share additional information regarding your department’s approach and what it means for you.

The team is comprised of several roles and levels including Legal Administrative Support, Legal Secretary, and Paralegal.

Responsibilities

This posting is for a position within the Intellectual Property (IP) Section of the State Farm Corporate Law Department assisting attorneys who manage patent, trademark and copyright portfolios, provide IP counseling, and manage IP litigation. This individual will regularly interact with outside counsel, and both executive and non-executive clients in business areas throughout the Enterprise.

• Assist counsel with drafting and preparation of patent, trademark, and copyright filings, responses, and other legal documents.
• Review marketing and business-area content (e.g., product names, taglines, copy, imagery, packaging, and web content) to identify potential IP issues and recommend next steps for attorney review.
• Monitor and evaluate trademark watch and clearance/infringement alert services; triage issues and provide timely summaries of potential risks and deadlines for attorney review.
• Draft cease and desist letters for infringement matters under attorney direction/supervision.
• Support UDRP matters, including domain/registrant research, assembling documentary evidence, drafting factual/procedural materials, and tracking deadlines for filings and responses.
• Conduct legal and factual research and prepare written summaries/analysis for attorney review.
• Respond to inquiries from internal departments and external associates.
• Use IP docketing and case management systems (e.g., FoundationIP/Anaqua) and USPTO filing portals to manage matters and deadlines.
• May involve travel to job-related activities via driving a motor vehicle or by commercial transportation.
• Maintains paralegal competency by participation in continuing education programs.
• May work irregular hours, including weekends/holidays.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Paralegal degree/certificate (or equivalent education) and 3+ years Intellectual Proprerty experience.
• Deep understanding of patent/trademark filing lifecycles, including hands-on experience preparing/filing new applications (U.S. and foreign), drafting Office Action responses, and managing certain filings (e.g., patent Information Disclosure Statements (IDS), trademark Statements of use, and the like.
• Proven ability to monitor, maintain, and clear complex docketing deadlines.
• Demonstrated proficiency with USPTO electronic systems, including EFS-Web, Patent Center, and TEAS.
• Proficiency navigating the Copyright Office website and registration system.
• Familiarity with common IP and legal docketing tools (e.g. FoundationIP, Anaqua, CPI, etc).
• Experience performing IP risk reviews/clearance for business or marketing content, identifying potential trademark/copyright issues, and flagging matters for attorney review.
• Must comply with state paralegal codes (if applicable) and the Code of Professional Responsibility governing lawyer conduct and must strictly observe the department's confidential relationship with the client/employer.

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant attention to detail; strong critical thinking skills and judgment.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
• Experience working in high-volume docket/prosecution environments.
• Experience collaborating with prosecution teams and managing outside counsel requests.
• Awareness and use of AI/GenAI tools.

Additional Details

• Applicants are required to be eligible to lawfully work in the U.S. immediately. State Farm will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work opportunities.

Our Benefits

• State Farm values work-life balance and offers competitive compensation!
• Potential starting salary range: $59,400 - $110,000
• Starting salary will be based on skills, background, and experience
• High end of the range limited to applicants with significant relevant experience
• Potential yearly incentive pay up to 15% of base salary

At State Farm, we offer more than just a paycheck. Check out our suite of benefits designed to give you the flexibility you need to take care of you and your family!

• Get Paid! On top of our competitive pay, you are eligible for an annual raise and bonus.
• Stay Well! Focus on you and your family’s health with our robust health and wellbeing programs. State Farm pays most of your healthcare premium, and we offer multiple healthcare plan options, including a high deductible plan. All medical plans provide 100% coverage for in-network preventative care, AND you and your family have access to vision, dental, telemedicine, 24/7 mental health professionals, and much more!
• Develop and Grow! Take advantage of educational benefits like industry leading training programs, top-notch tuition assistance programs, employee resource groups, and mentoring.
• Plan Ahead! Plan for those big moments in life with benefits like fertility/IVF/adoption assistance, college coaching, national discount programs, interactive monthly financial workshops, free financial coaching, and more. You can also start a savings account or consider financing through our State Farm Federal Credit Union!
• Take a Little “You” Time! You will have access to our generous time off policies designed so you can plan around holidays, family events, volunteering, or just to take a relaxing day off. With the opportunity to initially earn up to 20 days annually plus parental leave, paid holidays, celebration day, life leave (40 hours/year), bereavement leave, and community service/education support days, there will be plenty of time for you!
• Give Back! We offer several ways to give back through our Matching Gift Program, Good Neighbor Grant Program, and the Employee Assistance Fund.
• Finish Strong! Plan for retirement using free financial advisors and a 401(k) plan with company contributions of up to 7% of your salary.

Visit our State Farm Careers page for more information on our benefits, locations and the hiring process of joining the State Farm team!