JOB TITLE: IP Support Specialist
DEPARTMENT: Formalities
REPORTS TO: Renewals Supervisor
JOB SUMMARY
The Renewals Team ensures accurate and efficient management of IP renewals, balancing in-house renewals tasks with the coordination of outsourcing to a third-party renewals service provider.
Responsibilities include processing incoming correspondence, sending reminders, updating and maintaining records, managing fee payments, and handling queries. The role requires exceptional attention to detail, effective time management, and the ability to work to strict deadlines.
DUTIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
* Processing renewals related communications from clients, IP Offices, overseas agents, and third-party renewals service providers
* Sending renewal reminders to clients for patents, designs, and trademarks (including US TM affidavit deadlines)
* Updating Inprotech with grant details, checking renewals and preparing granted Patent, Trade Mark and Design documents for despatch to clients
* Monitoring and maintaining renewal deadlines using Inprotech
* Processing renewals instructions, payments and preparing invoices
* Handling data exchanges with the third-party renewals service providers, including cross-checking and updating returned data
* Addressing renewals-related queries from clients, IP offices, agents and internal colleagues
* Preparing schedules e.g. client portfolio renewal reports
* Portfolio reviewing, checking and updating prompted by matters such as client changes, checking data from online registers and data checking from other sources such as third party renewals service providers
* Managing take-over cases and updating renewal records accordingly
OTHER DUTIES:
* Assist with training colleagues
* Helping the other Formalities teams with general office duties
* Liaising with Attorneys, Secretaries, Accounts and Formalities Teams
* Any other renewals related duties your line manager may ask you to carry out
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
* At least 4-6 years’ renewals experience, within an IP practice, ideally within a partnership model
* GCSEs (ideally at least 5 at Grade 6 or above, including Maths and English) or equivalent
* Experience with Inprotech is preferred
SYSTEMS USED:
* Microsoft Office Suite (Essential)
* Client Record Management System: Inprotech (Desirable)
* Email System: Outlook
* iManage (Desirable)