PATENT PARALEGAL

Job Category: Legal & Corporate Affairs
Location: Redmond, WA, US
Job ID: 828152-107502
Division: Legal & Corporate Affairs

Patent Paralegal
We have an immediate opening for an experienced patent paralegal to join the IP&L Patent Group's Microsoft Windows Client ( Windows ) Patent Team. The Windows Patent Team partners with the Windows business to protect strategic innovation and provide world-class intellectual property counseling, strategy, and execution.
This Paralegal will work closely with Patent Attorneys to advise clients on a broad range of patent related issues and partner with the Windows and Internet Explorer product teams to help determine the patent strategy based on the business' overall objectives. The paralegal will report to an Assistant General Counsel for the Windows Patent Team, serve as the primary point of contact for certain client groups, and have frequent contact with various levels of Microsoft product managers and inventors.
Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Develop and maintain key contacts in the product group to stay current on the organization's structure, business and development cycles.
Work with Microsoft patent attorneys, internal teams and outside counsel, to identify and protect inventions/patents relating to specific competitive or industry products and technologies, standards specifications, etc.
Counsel the client groups to select the appropriate inventions to patent, determine appropriate filing timelines, and manage filing strategies to achieve patent protection within budget expectations.
Partner with the product groups to organize and summarize the scope and breadth of our intellectual property assets and refine patent filing plans over time based on the business strategy.
Partner with the Windows Patent Team attorneys to manage US and International patent prosecution decisions and international filing decisions.
Background, Skills and Capabilities:
Excellent analytical, writing, and oral communication skills effective with lawyers and non-lawyers. Intermediate knowledge of computer software technology. Demonstrated ability to work independently with limited supervision, while interfacing with a variety of personalities across a large number of diverse internal groups, teams, divisions, and cultures.
Ability to work efficiently, meet demanding deadlines in a fast-paced environment, prioritize workflow and adjust to frequent workload fluctuations. Strong organization and project management skills with a desire and ability to work with diverse teams.
Qualifications: A BA/BS, Paralegal Certificate or relevant work experience and excellent academic credentials is required. 4+ years of experience with patents is preferred. Experience working with Windows Software is required.
Successful completion of a background check is required for this position.
The above description is designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by an employee in this position. The actual duties, responsibilities and qualifications may vary. Microsoft is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and strongly supports workforce diversity.

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