Senior Paralegal, Intellectual Property
Our purpose at Avient Corporation is to be an innovator of materials solutions that help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world.
Innovation goes far beyond materials science; it’s powered by the passion, creativity, and diverse expertise of 9,000 professionals worldwide. Whether you’re a finance wizard, a tech enthusiast, an operational powerhouse, an HR changemaker, or a trailblazer in materials development, you’ll find your place at Avient.
Join our global team and help shape the future with sustainable solutions that transform possibilities into realities. Your unique perspective could be the key to our next breakthrough!
Job Summary
Avient is seeking a Senior Paralegal, Intellectual Property to perform a range of activities in support of the company’s legal and intellectual property (IP) global operations including:
• managing paralegal support for global patent activities, including direct supervisory responsibilities for a junior paralegal;
• providing primary paralegal support for global trademark activities; and
• assisting with confidentiality agreements (NDAs / CDAs) and similar contracts for Avient’s businesses worldwide.
Working with minimal direct supervision both independently and collaboratively with other team members, internal stakeholders, and external service providers, this position requires a self-confident and knowledgeable IP legal professional who is well-organized, responsive, flexible, resourceful, and enthusiastic. Ideal candidates will have strong experience with both patents and trademarks, at least some experience (or willingness to learn) assisting with confidentiality agreements and similar contracts, and at least some experience as a successful team leader.
This position is based at Avient’s global headquarters located in Avon Lake, Ohio.
Essential Functions
- Supports global trademark activities in coordination with Avient’s in-house IP attorneys, outside counsel, and/or external service providers; activities may include conducting trademark searches and clearances, obtaining specimens of use and other required documentation, communicating with internal stakeholders to obtain decisions, managing payments of trademark renewals, monitoring and investigating potential infringement, supporting oppositions and cancellations, preparing cease & desist letters, coexistence agreements, letters of consent, etc.
- Assists with confidentiality agreements and similar contracts in coordination with other legal team members; activities may include preparing new agreements based on approved templates, responding to inquiries about status and applicability of prior agreements, reviewing proposed agreements and making proposed revisions, and coordinating with counterparties to obtain signatures, etc.
- Manages paralegal support for global patent activities, including supervising, coaching, and providing backup for a junior paralegal, in coordination with Avient’s in-house IP attorneys, outside counsel, and/or external service providers
- Manages incoming correspondence from USPTO, WIPO, law firms / local agents worldwide, external service providers, internal stakeholders, etc., and determines appropriate actions
- Dockets deadlines for patent and/or trademark activities worldwide using Avient’s IP database and docketing system (IPfolio)
- Creates and updates records in relevant databases and systems (e.g., IPfolio, SharePoint, network folders, etc.)
- Prepares forms and other documents (e.g., powers of attorney, assignments, application data sheets, PCT requests, information disclosure statements, etc.)
- Coordinates with IP attorneys to take appropriate actions by deadlines
- Corresponds with law firms / local agents worldwide to provide instructions, etc.
- Communicates with internal stakeholders to request input or decisions, obtain signatures, provide matter updates, etc.
- Manages payment of patent annuities and trademark renewals through external service providers
- Administers Avient’s USPTO deposit account
- Helps to create vendor profiles, process invoices, and track costs using vendor payment platforms such as Coupa, etc.
- Other duties as assigned
Education and Experience
- High school diploma or GED; paralegal certificate and/or associate’s degree and/or bachelor’s degree is advantageous
- Required patent and trademark experience: 10+ years of experience in a law firm or corporate in-house setting involving both patent and trademark support responsibilities
- Preferred contracts experience: 3+ years of experience in a law firm or corporate in-house setting involving support for confidentiality agreements and similar contracts
- Preferred leadership experience: 3+ years of experience in a law firm or corporate in-house setting involving leadership of people, teams, and/or projects, or comparable experience with managing, coaching, developing, and/or mentoring other people
Additional Qualifications
- Notary public is strongly preferred
- Solid working knowledge of forms, documentation, requirements, and procedures for patent and trademark filings in USPTO and worldwide
- Ability to administer and use IP database and docketing systems (familiarity with IPfolio is advantageous)
- Capable of using patent and trademark office websites such as uspto.gov to find forms, research rules and procedures, check status of applications, record assignments, pay maintenance fees, etc., and publicly available patent databases such as Espacenet to search for and obtain copies of patent publications, confirm family details, etc.
- Familiar with corporate entity concepts, signature authority, etc.
- Familiar with requesting apostilles, authentications, legalizations, etc.
- Experience with (or willingness to learn) collaboration platforms such as SharePoint; electronic signature platforms such as Adobe Sign and DocuSign; and vendor payment platforms such as Coupa
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Exceptional professionalism and ownership of responsibilities reflected in consistency and quality of work product, outstanding attention to detail, and proactive approach to issue spotting and problem solving
- High levels of responsiveness and independent judgment to plan and prioritize daily activities and take appropriate actions with minimal supervision
- Flexible, resourceful, well-organized, and able to work in a fast-paced organization where multitasking is essential
- Good interpersonal skills to build and maintain trusted relationships with colleagues and diverse stakeholders and confidently navigate a complex global organization
- Positive, enthusiastic, growth mindset, proactive, and collegial
We believe that all of our global employees are leaders and that the six most important behaviors for driving our strategy and culture are the same no matter if an employee is a leader of self, a leader of others, or a leader of the business.
By playing to win, acting customer centric, driving innovation and profitable growth, collaborating seamlessly across Avient, and motivating and inspiring and developing others and yourself you will accelerate your ability to achieve Avient’s strategic goals, to meet our customer needs, and to accomplish your career goals.
At Avient, we believe a wide variety of thoughts, ideas and backgrounds gives us the creativity to be successful in a rapidly changing world. In support of this, we stress equality of opportunity for all qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws. Decisions on hiring, promotion, development, compensation or advancement are based solely on a person’s qualifications, abilities, experience and performance.
Avient is an equal opportunity employer. We maintain a policy of non-discrimination in providing equal employment to all qualified employees and candidates regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran’s status, or other legally protected classification in accordance with applicable federal, state and local law. If you need an accommodation because of a disability to complete an online application, please contact the Avient HR Team by emailing, ApplicationAccommodation@Avient.com.