The role

We are recruiting a Senior Paralegal to support the IP team in our Dubai office.

This role will provide bilingual support to the IP team with a particular focus on its trade mark practice including managing and maintaining client trade mark portfolios and assisting with enforcement actions.

You will also build relationships with relevant judicial and governmental departments and regulatory authorities on behalf of the firm, and maintain an efficient database and filing system. As well as assisting the team in building a strong IP practice across the Middle East and North Africa region.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Providing legal support as requested including conducting legal searches, drafting documents in both the Arabic and English languages, proof reading documents
• Handling the administrative aspects of the trademarks practice in the Middle East and North Africa Region, mainly:

\xe2\x80\x93 handling all aspects of trade marks prosecution including preparing, filing and docketing trade mark applications; searching trade mark applications and registrations
\xe2\x80\x93 preparing responses to the trade mark office actions
\xe2\x80\x93 preparing and filing renewals
\xe2\x80\x93 recording licenses and assignments and other documents
\xe2\x80\x93 drafting client correspondence
\xe2\x80\x93 being the main contact between the firm, the foreign counsel/ and the relevant trade mark offices

• Instructing and working with foreign counsel on clearance, trade mark filings, office actions, renewals and other prosecution and conflict matters
• Maintaining trade mark docket and diarising deadlines and assuming responsibility of compliance with deadline dates
• Generating and editing status reports
• Copyright searching and filing
• Directing the administrative aspects of industrial designs and patent prosecution
• Meeting with the relevant officials to make regulatory and other enquiries
• Keeping up to date on any practice / law developments across the region
• Conducting Commercial Agencies searches
• Maintaining and updating the records and status reports of IP rights portfolios
• Legalising of documents
• Organising and maintaining files
• Providing administrative and clerical support
• Assisting with the preparation of trade mark and other IP related matters such as PoAs and invoicing
• Translating documents from Arabic to English and vice versa, if required (including co-ordinating with internal and external translation team/agencies)
• Arranging funds / payment of official fees related to client matters

Planning and Organising

• Manage and plan the work undertaken in a timely and efficient manner, prioritising work daily by checking deadlines and ensure most important tasks are completed first
• Responsibility for docketing official and internal deadlines for the team and supporting lawyers on diary management
• Meet deadlines, manage time and anticipate events which may interrupt schedules
• Actively keep appropriate people informed on progress against objectives, tasks and projects
• Use available resources to assist with planning and organising including CPI (current docketing software), Outlook and any other products the firm may require you to use

Teamwork

• Work closely with colleagues and ensure a seamless relationship to ensure complementary skill sets to be used
• Demonstrate drive, determination, enthusiasm and an ability to work effectively as a team member
• Ensure relationships are built effectively to support your work, promoting teamwork at all times to maintain a regular dialogue with all members of the team
• Demonstrate communication skills to be able to convey information in a clear and concise manner to both colleagues and clients, ensuring diplomacy and confidentiality are maintained at all times
• Liaise with fee earners on a regular basis to update on key tasks and goals for the day and week
• Support fellow team members to achieve deadlines within and beyond your own group
• Share knowledge and ideas to enhance working practices and team performance
• Assist and support new joiners to your group
• Attend and contribute to team meetings and forums where appropriate

ABOUT YOU

• Strong academics with minimum Bachelors (or equivalent) law degree and/or LLM/LPC
• Experience working within a law firm or other professional services organisation (within a trade mark / IP practice) is essential
• Experience in working in a client facing role
• Reasonable degree of knowledge of the relevant IP laws of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other countries in the MENA region, as well as the local practices of theand the trade mark offices and IP enforcement authorities across the region
• Excellent verbal communication skills (fluent written and spoken in English and Arabic essential)
• Mature and pragmatic with the ability to communicate at all levels

Technical skills

• Spelling, grammar and language skills in Arabic and English
• Computer literate: excellent Outlook, Word and Excel skills essential
• A keen attention to detail and methodical production of work
• Proven internet research skills

Commitment /Attitude to work

• Willing to view the role as an opportunity to gain broad experience whilst being aware that the job will require a reasonable degree of administrative activities
• Uses initiative and is well organised, with the ability to juggle numerous tasks at once and to effectively prioritise workloads and manage the expectations of others
• Capable of working on own initiative and sometimes very tight deadlines
• Results orientated
• Acute attention to detail in all types of communication
• Proven experience of handling firm and client funds and ability to adhere to firm finance protocols
• A mature and flexible approach to work
• Self-starter, able to work independently or as part of a team
• Demonstrable experience of maintaining confidentiality
• An ability to stay calm and composed in demanding situations

ABOUT US
DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES
In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive - we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative \xe2\x80\x93 we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold \xe2\x80\x93 we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional \xe2\x80\x93 we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone\'s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that\'s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people - however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING
We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That\xe2\x80\x99s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING
In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.

3363 | United Arab Emirates | Dubai

DLA Piper