Paralegal - Patent
Plainsboro, NJ, US
About the Department
The Legal department is comprised of our Legal and Patents functions. We depend on our legal team to help drive growth and maintain the highest level of standards and practices across all of our legal efforts. It’s a tall order, which is why we only hire those who thrive on protecting the interests of our patients, employees and business, all while creating and implementing efficient and innovative solutions. As part of the team, you’ll work with employees across the organization to oversee legal matters and provide guidance on strategies that drive business and policy priorities and shape the reputation of Novo Nordisk Inc. (NNI). At Novo Nordisk, your skills, dedication and ambition will help us change lives for the better. In exchange, we’ll offer you an opportunity to work with extraordinary talent and benefit from a range of possibilities for professional and personal development. Are you ready to realize your potential?
This position is based out of our home office location in Princeton, NJ. This position follows all NNI guidance for remote/in office dedicated time. EST time-zone hours.
The Position
The Patent Paralegal works under limited supervision in preparing documents for filing in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and communicates with agents concerning patent prosecution before patent authorities; provides support to patent attorneys in all patent-related matters; managing other communication from third parties and agents in support of NNI Patents. The Patent Paralegal works with high degree of confidentiality.
Relationships
The Patent Paralegal reports to the Manager for Patent Administration and works with patent/intellectual property attorneys, File Clerk(s), and other positions in IPD as well as with agents, patent authorities, and with relevant stakeholders throughout Novo Nordisk, including occasionally working with inventors in Novo Nordisk affiliates and frequent interaction with the administrative and professional staff in Novo Nordisk Corporate Patents (Denmark).
Essential Functions
- Analyzing incoming agent, third party, and Corporate Patent correspondence. Analyzing order letters, patent authority communications, and communications from agents and third party stakeholders (e.g., critically reading to identify and discern issues; taking appropriate action thereon)
- Independently communicating with patent authorities, agents, and third parties. Conducting phone discussions with patent authority representatives
- Independently communicating with patent authorities, agents, and third parties. Investigating prosecution related issues in PAIR and other patent document management systems
- Independently communicating with patent authorities, agents, and third parties. Preparation, transmission, and handling of correspondence
- Independently preparing patent authority submissions for formality matters. Handling other patent authority formality submissions
- Independently preparing patent authority submissions for formality matters. These may include Preparing
- Information Disclosure Statements, inventor declarations, patent assignments, responses to missing parts notices and related notices, and sequence listings and related filings
- Managing and supporting data/docket management functions. Ensuring appropriate electronic storage and management of documents in electronic patent document management systems
- Managing and supporting data/docket management functions. Providing back-up support in entering docketing information
- Managing and supporting data/docket management functions. Removing due dates from docket
- Managing and supporting data/docket management functions. Using docketing reporting systems to provide docket reports to Department
- Managing and supporting data/docket management functions. Validating docketing information
- Managing filing of patent documents. Using EFS-Web and related systems (e.g. IPDAS) for USPTO filings
- Performing initial patent term adjustment analysis
- Providing other administrative and legal support to attorneys and stakeholders
- Supporting development of practices and procedures for the patent function
- Supporting substantive patent authority submissions. Initial document preparation of substantive submissions
Physical Requirements
0-10% overnight travel required.
Qualifications
- A Bachelor 's Degree required; relevant experience may be substituted for degree where appropriate
- A minimum of 3 years of paralegal experience or other relevant experience required. International patent prosecution experience preferred
- Must be able to manage multiple priorities
- Must be highly organized and detail-oriented
- Paralegal Certification strongly preferred
- Patent docketing database knowledge and experience required, Strong skills in Microsoft Office and Adobe required
- Strong work ethic and sense of responsibility
We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.
At Novo Nordisk we recognize that it is no longer good enough to aspire to be the best company in the world. We need to aspire to be the best company for the world and we know that this is only possible with talented employees with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and cultures. We are therefore committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity of our employees, the patients we serve and communities we operate in. Together, we’re life changing.
Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.
If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.