About Us:

Ballard Spahr is a renowned national law firm with more than 750 lawyers across 18 offices in the United States. A career at Ballard Spahr offers a diverse group of mentors, colleagues, and friends, and strong leadership that provides support and encouragement for career growth.

We are thrilled to announce an exceptional opportunity to join the dynamic team at Ballard Spahr as an experienced Legal Administrative Assistant (Legal Secretary) within our esteemed Intellectual Property Patent Practice. In this engaging role, you will provide vital support to our attorneys through a range of administrative tasks, while also handling responsibilities related to patents and intellectual property.

If you're looking to make a meaningful impact in a fast-paced legal environment, this opportunity is perfect for you. Your expertise and organizational skills will help drive our practice forward while fostering innovation and collaboration. This position is hybrid and offers an on-site work schedule of 3 days a week, with hours of 10 am – 6 pm. Although working out of our New York office is preferred, we will consider those who can work from any of our East Coast offices located in NJ, PA (Philadelphia), DE, MD (Baltimore), D.C., and GA (Atlanta).

Why Join Us?

• Innovative Work Environment: Become part of a forward-thinking firm that enjoys substantial support and visibility from the firm’s executive leadership.

• Professional Development: Take advantage of continuous learning opportunities and avenues for career growth.

• Inclusion: Join a Business Resource Group and share cultural, experiential, or job-related interests, experiences, and/or backgrounds.

• Impactful Contributions: Play a pivotal role in developing industry-leading solutions that make a significant difference in legal practice and client service.

Your Role:

As a legal administrative assistant in our New York patent practice, you will be a member of our IP patent prosecution group and your responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Prepare and electronically file patent applications and related documents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office

• Manage and coordinate patent docketing deadlines including generating deadline reports

• Maintain and organize patent files and databases

• Communicate with clients, attorneys and patent office as needed

• General administrative support of attorneys on the team which includes, but is not limited to, managing calendars and arranging travel

What We’re Looking For:

• Growth Mindset: Self-motivated with a passion for continuous learning and problem-solving.

• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication abilities.

• Detail-Oriented: Keen attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines independently.

Required Experience:

Bachelor's Degree preferred. Qualified candidates must have at least three years of patent prosecution experience with first-hand knowledge of Patent Center and preparing and filing formal documents in the USPTO. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with IP docketing software.

The salary range for this position is from $90,000 – $100,000, which reflects the Firm’s good faith and reasonable estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Actual pay will depend on several factors, such as the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

Ballard Spahr offers an excellent benefits package. A summary of available benefits can be found here in the Careers section of the firm’s website.

Ready to Grow with Us?

If you are ready to play a vital role in the Firm’s success, we encourage you to apply and be a part of our commitment to excellence.

At Ballard Spahr, we believe that our skills, perspectives, and backgrounds drive innovation and excellence, while our unique culture fosters collaboration and success. Our culture of thriving together forms the cornerstone of how we deliver exceptional service and position our firm for a strong future. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Ballard Spahr is an equal opportunity employer. We offer equal consideration to all qualified applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, age, national origin, handicap or disability, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, transgender status, sex stereotyping, genetic information, ancestry, veteran status or any other category protected by applicable law.

The firm is not accepting resumes from search firms for this position.