An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Trade Mark Paralegal Manager to join Dentons Helix and lead the day-to-day management of our Trade Mark paralegal team. The team supports trade mark portfolios across a broad range of clients and works closely with Dentons' wider IP practice. Dentons Helix transforms in-house legal teams to allow cost certainty and risk reduction whilst empowering insightful data-backed strategic decisions. We deliver excellent legal services and insightful data to support our clients by using a combination of legal, technological and operational specialists to define a new standard for best practice. The Trade Mark Paralegal Manager will be primarily responsible for overseeing the day-to-day resourcing, work allocation and supervision of a team of approximately seven colleagues supporting the Trade Mark practice. The role combines hands-on Trade Mark paralegal work with workflow management, technical supervision, quality assurance and operational oversight to ensure work is delivered accurately, efficiently and on time., We are looking for an experienced Trade Mark Paralegal with strong technical knowledge, together with prior team management or supervisory experience. The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate relevant experience, leadership skills and operational judgement to manage a busy team supporting multiple client portfolios. The Manager will be accountable for effective resourcing, allocation and prioritisation of work, supervision and quality assurance, and the continuous improvement of systems, processes and reporting. The Manager will work closely with relevant line managers, the supervising Partner, Trade Mark Attorneys, the wider IP team and relevant operational and technology colleagues.,
Team and People Management Lead and coordinate the day-to-day work of the Trade Mark paralegal team and other colleagues supporting the team's delivery, setting clear expectations and promoting a high-performing team culture.
Plan team capacity, allocate work and balance competing priorities across client portfolios, taking account of urgency, complexity, risk, skills, deadlines, absence and available resource.
Support recruitment, selection, onboarding and induction, and work with relevant line managers to support performance, development, attendance, wellbeing, team engagement and succession planning.
Service Delivery and Technical Supervision Oversee the day-to-day delivery of Trade Mark paralegal and administration services across all client portfolios, ensuring work is properly triaged, allocated, progressed and completed within agreed timescales.
Work closely with the relevant administrative support teams to ensure effective handovers and smooth working processes between the teams, including the timely opening and administration of matters.
Supervise and quality-check trade mark prosecution and portfolio administration work, including applications at the UKIPO, EUIPO and WIPO, official documents, searches, formalities, renewals, recordals and portfolio schedules.
Undertake Trade Mark paralegal work directly as required, including supporting priority or complex matters and periods of increased workload, alongside the Manager's supervisory and operational responsibilities.
Provide guidance and review in relation to objections, Registry requests, trade mark watches, opposition deadlines, evidence gathering, foreign filings and instructions to local agents.
Ensure statutory deadlines, key correspondence and future actions are appropriately identified, recorded and monitored, working with relevant records and support teams as required and escalating risks, delays or capacity constraints appropriately.
Work closely with the Partner and Trade Mark Attorneys to understand priorities, coordinate support and maintain an appropriate level of supervision, quality control and audit trail.
Operations, Systems and Continuous Improvement Support the effective use of the team's systems and processes, working with relevant teams to ensure matter information, deadlines and workflow requirements are appropriately captured and managed.
Identify bottlenecks, recurring issues and opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency and quality, and lead the development of standard operating procedures, checklists, templates and guidance.
Support the adoption and effective use of technology, automation and data-led working practices, collaborating with relevant legal operations and technology specialists.
Experience and qualifications:
Substantial trade mark prosecution and portfolio administration experience gained in a Trade Mark Paralegal role, together with demonstrable experience of supervising, coordinating or managing the work of others. Completion of the CITMA Paralegal Course is advantageous.
Technical expertise: Strong technical knowledge of UK and international trade mark processes, including work before the UKIPO, EUIPO and WIPO, with the judgement to identify matters requiring attorney input or escalation, confidence reviewing and quality-checking a broad range of paralegal and administration work to a consistently high standard, and confidence using IP management systems and technology to support efficient trade mark portfolio management and service delivery.
Organisation and operational judgement: Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, able to manage competing deadlines, fluctuating workloads and operational risks across multiple client portfolios, using data and management information to assess workload and service delivery and support sound resourcing decisions, with a continuous improvement mindset and an interest in technology-enabled working.
Communication and professionalism: Clear and confident written and verbal communication, able to build effective internal relationships, give constructive feedback and communicate expectations clearly in a remote environment, with excellent attention to detail, sound judgement, discretion and professionalism when handling confidential or sensitive information.
Inclusion and Diversity We are committed to building an inclusive culture here at Dentons where our people can thrive, regardless of their background or circumstance. As well as being the right thing to do, it makes good business sense too. A richness of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives helps us best serve our clients and the communities in which we operate. You can find out more about inclusion and diversity at Dentons here: Dentons is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. We welcome applications from everyone including of any age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nationality, neurotype, disability, or with parental or caring responsibilities. We are also "Happy to Talk Flexible Working" and welcome conversations about flexible working arrangements. Dentons is a Disability Confident employer. Candidates with a disability may choose to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme. We will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. Where application volumes are high, we may offer interviews to those who best meet the minimum criteria, consistent with our approach for all candidates.
