Director of IP Operations

Director of IP Operations

Director of IP Operations to oversee all aspects of IP operations within the IP operations teams and drive best practice initiatives and continuous learning.

• Systematically review processes and systems that support the Patent and Trademark, Copyright, and Advertising (TCA) practices. Identify issues, compliance, other risks and team priorities and propose process and systems improvements
• Develop methods for conducting quality control review of Patent docketing processes to ensure accuracy, consistency and adherence to the rules of 37 C.F.R., TMEP, and foreign national patent offices to ensure compliance with practice and firm risk management guidelines
• Monitor, review, and recommend new materials and resources that have the potential to improve management of the practices or to assist the practitioners/fee-earners/lawyers in providing enhanced service
• Interface with other firm departments to determine best practices and implement efficient workflow and integration points that will make the daily functions of the IP Services more efficient and will enable better collaboration as it relates to intakes and transfers, disengagements, electronic file management, and supporting marketing and business development initiatives
• Oversee IP systems team, including responsibility for the efficient operation of the IP Management System and other systems and software supporting IP Services, and the Patent and TCA practices
• Work collaboratively with Legal Intelligence, Technology, and Practice Innovation teams to ensure technology and specialized resources are adequately vetted, costs considered, and that IP Servies and Patent and TCA practitioners have the resources they need
• Effectively delegate tasks across the direct report manager and supervisor teams
• Establish accountability processes to ensure efficiency and accuracy of services provided
• Develop matrices to measure, evaluate and report on the effectiveness of the operations teams
• Coach and develop direct report managers and supervisors to achieve high client service and operational quality, consistency and high‑level customer service
• Manage fixed fee and flat fee billing structure, analysis of costs, competitive data, and realization tracking making timely recommendations for change and improvement
• Together with the Director of Client Accounts and IP Services management, recommend and implement improvements to billing processes
• Lead practice, policies and procedures trainings and related trainings for new group intakes

• Drive all functions of the US Patent Best Practices Committees with guidance from the Committee Chairs and Director of IP Services. Engage all members of BPC to maximize their contribution to the Committee
• Develop and coordinate methods to ensure implementation of BPC policies and directives, collaborating with the Patent Leadership Committee, practice group Resource Attorneys, the Director of IP Client Service, and IP Services management
• Facilitate patent and/or TCA Resource Attorney utilization by raising awareness about the purpose and focus of the role and by ensuring questions, requests, and projects that fall outside of the scope are directed and handled by the appropriate individual(s)
• Responsible for all new (in collaboration Legal Talent and the applicable Resource Attorney/BPC) IP timekeeper/fee‑earner supplemental orientation and onboarding
• Ensure that both practice‑specific content and procedural training is effective, timely, complete and in compliance with IP procedures and BPC practices

• Ensure that substantive training and development materials and learning paths created by various IP managers and supervisors is consistent and aligned with department goals
• Collaborate with the Director of IP Client Service and IP Services management regarding course and curriculum content and effectiveness. Attention is to be given both at the specialist group level as well as to individual IP practice team assistants, trainees, and specialists. The goal of this program is to develop and retain highly qualified and efficient staff specialists who…