Global Ip Paralegal

A Career at HARMAN
As a technology leader that is rapidly on the move, HARMAN is filled with people who are focused on making life better. Innovation, inclusivity and teamwork are a part of our DNA. When you add that to the challenges we take on and solve together, you'll discover that at HARMAN you can grow, make a difference and be proud of the work you do every day.
About the Role
Harman International Industries seeks an experienced IP Paralegal to join its in-house Law Department in Novi, Michigan. HARMAN's diverse portfolio of technologies and Intellectual Property offers applicants an excellent opportunity to work with a professional Corporate Legal Department to manage and protect HARMAN's worldwide portfolio of Intellectual Property. As a member of our team, your primary role will be to support the IP Team within Harman's Legal Department with tasks relating to Patent, Trademark, and/or Design portfolio management.
Your Team
The HARMAN Intellectual Property Group focuses on a broad range of Intellectual Property matters, including Patent, Design, and Trademark prosecution, licensing, litigation, and IP due diligence, in an international setting. The department aims to ensure a high-level of accuracy in data quality in order to provide an excellent work product result to our internal clients. Members of our team take direct ownership of data and processes while working together seamlessly as one unit. We work hard and accomplish amazing things as a team. This position reports to the Manager, Intellectual Property Operations, and is a member of a team of paralegals who support a group of attorneys, business partners, and inventors world-wide. This is your opportunity to join our talented professionals within the HARMAN Legal Department and contribute to a portfolio of cutting-edge technologies and cool products. At HARMAN, you can expect brilliance. We do.
What You Will Do

• Support in-house IP attorneys with all phases of prosecution, including overseeing local and international filings managed by external counsel. (Support for litigation, and transactional matters also possible, and will be trained on these if no experience.)
• Work within a global team of paralegals; support team in team projects/goals; provide back-up to other paralegals as needed; assist in proactively identifying potential process issues and propose workflow improvements as needed; and provide guidance and direction as needed to other team members regarding record maintenance, system usage, Patent data, and HARMAN Legal Dept. procedures.
• Create and accurately maintain records of global IP matters in various systems, i.e., HARMAN's Anaqua I.P. Management System, Legal Tracker billing system, and other software systems as needed with respect to IP bibliographic information, due dates, correspondence (from global I.P. offices and internal business clients), and cost information, etc.
• Coordinate with members of the IP team and outside counsel in the preparation of IP legal documents such as ownership documents, declarations, petitions, and powers of attorney.
• Coordinate and communicate with various stakeholders, such as engineering and business leads in HARMAN's global business units, on IP matters, such as invention disclosures and legal documents for filing with various Patent offices, and soliciting feedback/recommendations.
• Coordinate and communicate with outside domestic and international counsel on I.P. matters based on information and instructions from a HARMAN IP attorney.
• Assist with Intellectual Property enforcement including communicating with external agents and internal clients, updating enforcement records, and conducting research.
• Tracking and recordal of correspondence between HARMAN legal department members, Outside Counsel and other external service providers, and HARMAN business leaders obtained from a variety of communication tools and resources, such as Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Anaqua, and others.
• Support in-house IP Attorneys in the execution of acquisition, divestiture, monetization, corporate entity/subsidiary management, and other special projects, including ensuring process discipline, administrative input, strategic recommendations, etc. Tracking and recordal of related technical strategic information provided by HARMAN attorneys and I.P. Review Board members relating to HARMAN's IP portfolio, monetization opportunities, and other confidential strategic processes.
• Preparation, generation, and distribution of various reports, including various dockets and other informational reports for review by attorneys and other team members, as well as by business and financial contacts.
• General support for in-house I.P. team as needed, including providing back-up for other Paralegal team members, and assisting with general administrative duties and other tasks as the need arises.
• Provide guidance and training as needed to external counsel representatives, internal inventors/clients, and team members on HARMAN's Legal Dept. procedures and docketing database usage.

What You Need

• At least 5 years' in-depth experience in the Trademark and/or Design prosecution field, and at least 2 years experience working with Utility Patents as an IP Paralegal, IP Docketing Specialist, or IP Legal Assistant/IP Legal Secretary in a corporate Legal Department or Law Firm required.
• At least 2 years' experience working within I.P. management databases (e.g., Anaqua, CPI, etc.) manipulating data/docketing.
• Experience with analyzing IP matter bibliographic data and due date calculations for accuracy, managing an IP prosecution attorney's docket, and professionally communicating with clients and outside business partners required.
• Proficient knowledge of US and international IP rules and procedures, proficient knowledge of IP-related due dates for both US and foreign matters, and familiarity with IP rules and procedures in the U.S. and in foreign jurisdictions required.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office programs, including Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint; and experience working comfortably in databases are a must.
• Ability to generate various reports for internal stakeholders and external parties from various systems, including from Intellectual Property and billing databases and other systems.
• Experience with managing numerous projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, and ability to work well under pressure and adjust quickly and smoothly to changing targets are required.
• Detail-orientation, excellent organizational skills, and ability to meet deadlines and prioritize projects and workload are required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including ability to write effective business communications, good proofreading, and good interpersonal skills, are required.
• Ability to work independently as well as closely with team members, to work effectively on team projects, to seek instructions when needed, to give and take direction, to provide feedback when necessary, and to communicate and support other team members effectively across countries and cultural divides are required.
• Desire and/or ability to learn new topics or techniques, identify problem areas in processes, provide input, and work collaboratively with other team members required.
• Business fluency in English with a command of I.P. terminology required.

What is Nice to Have

• Experience filing electronic documents with the USPTO preferred.
• Working knowledge of European, International, and other foreign Patent and/or Trademark rules and procedures highly preferred.
• Working knowledge of Utility Models, Trade Secrets, Defensive Publications, and/or Copyrights preferred.
• Experience with enforcement/anti-counterfeiting preferred
• Experience producing graphs and charts in Excel, and presentations in PowerPoint, highly preferred.
• Experience working with the Anaqua I.P. Management system highly preferred.
• Experience working with legal billing systems preferred, with high preference for experience with Thomson Reuters' Legal Tracker (Serengeti) billing system.
• Some college preferred.
• A command of business and legal terminology highly preferred.

What Makes You Eligible

• Be willing to work in an office in the Novi area in Michigan at least 3 times a week.
• Be willing to travel up to 5%.
• Be willing to work a 40-hour work week.
• Be willing to work as a part of a global and close-knit team.
• Fluency in English, with proficiency in basic business and legal (especially I.P.) terminology.
• Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment.

What We Offer

• An inclusive and diverse multi-national work environment that fosters and encourages professional and personal development.
• Opportunity to collaborate with talented teams across the organization.
• Flexible work schedule with a culture encouraging work/life integration and collaboration in a global environment.
• Competitive salary with potential for growth.
• Excellent benefit package, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, flexible spending, 401K, and more.
• Professional development opportunities through HARMAN University's business and leadership academies
• Access to employee discounts on world-class HARMAN (JBL, HARMAN/Kardon, AKG, etc.) and Samsung products.
• Tuition Reimbursement.
• "Be Brilliant" employee recognition and rewards program.

HARMAN is an Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or Protected Veterans status. HARMAN offers a great work environment, challenging career opportunities, professional training and competitive compensation. (www.HARMAN.com)
HARMAN is an Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin,disability or Protected Veterans status. HARMAN offers a great work environment, challenging career opportunities, professional training and competitive compensation. (www.harman.com)