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; its powered by the passion creativity and diverse expertise of 9000 professionals worldwide. Whether youre a finance wizard a tech enthusiast an operational powerhouse an HR changemaker or a trailblazer in materials development youll 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 companys 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 Avients 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 Avients global headquarters located in Avon Lake Ohio.

Essential Functions

• Supports global trademark activities in coordination with Avients 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 Avients 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 Avients 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 Avients 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 associates degree and/or bachelors 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 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 Avients 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 persons 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 veterans 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