United States (Remote)EngagementIntellectual Property

Patent Agent

Job Description

Latitude Legal is seeking an experienced Registered Patent Agent to join a boutique San Diego intellectual property firm on a part-time engagement basis (approximately 20 hours/week, with the potential for more as bandwidth allows). This is a fully remote role.

The firm is a full-service IP practice that acts as outside general counsel to inventors, startups, and growing companies, with a patent docket spanning software, AI/machine learning, electronics, consumer products, mechanical devices, and medical technology. They're looking for a patent agent who can take an invention disclosure or an existing matter and produce high-quality work with minimal substantive supervision. The agent will work alongside the firm's attorneys and its Lead Patent Agent, a registered practitioner with decades of technical experience, and will be trusted with a high degree of independence.

What You'll Do Includes:

Meet with inventors to clarify the invention, identify patentable features, and gather what's needed for drafting.
Draft provisional and nonprovisional utility patent applications, including specifications, claims, and abstracts, and coordinate patent drawings.
Develop claim strategies that fit each invention and the client's business goals.
Review prior art and prosecution histories to guide drafting, claim scope, and prosecution recommendations.
Analyze Office Actions and prepare substantive responses, claim amendments, and supporting arguments; conduct and document examiner interviews.
Prepare petitions, information disclosure statements, declarations, requests for continued examination, and other USPTO submissions, and verify filing requirements and deadlines.
Recommend continuation, divisional, and continuation-in-part strategies, and review Notices of Allowance before issuance.
Write clear client emails explaining filings, Office Actions, deadlines, options, and recommended next steps.
Coordinate with attorneys, paralegals, and docketing personnel, and keep matters organized and moving while working fully remote.

Who You Are:

5+ years of substantive U.S. patent drafting and prosecution experience, including significant responsibility for preparing applications from initial invention disclosures.
Degree in engineering, computer science, physics, or another relevant technical discipline (or an equivalent technical foundation supporting USPTO registration).
Meaningful drafting and prosecution experience in one or more of the following: software and computer-implemented inventions, AI/machine learning, mechanical devices, consumer products, or medical devices. Experience in every area is not required, and experience primarily in pharmaceutical, chemical, or biotech prosecution is not a strong fit.
Strong command of USPTO prosecution rules, deadlines, and electronic filing procedures.
Excellent technical writing and client communication skills, with the judgment to run matters independently and know when to loop in an attorney.
Comfortable working directly with inventors and founders and picking up unfamiliar technologies quickly.
Organized, proactive, and reliable in a part-time, fully remote environment.
Registered Patent Agent in good standing with the USPTO.
Reasonably available during West Coast business hours.
Outstanding references.

Position Details:

Type of Role: Engagement
Schedule: Part-Time
Location: Remote (anywhere in the U.S.)

Compensation:

Pay: The annualized pay for this position ranges from $100,000 - $160,000 when calculated on a full-time basis. Pay for contract engagements is based on multiple factors including but not limited to work experience, qualifications, credentials, location, market supply/demand, and the candidate's preference (each candidate's pay rate affects the client bill rate which can affect the candidate's competitiveness for the position).
Benefits: In addition to salary, Latitude Engaged Professionals are W2 employees of Latitude and are eligible for full benefits when working in roles for 20 hours per week, including a Qualified 401k plan. Benefits-eligible Latitude employees receive complimentary Group Life, LTD and AD&D and professional liability insurance. Latitude Attorneys also receive a CLE and Professional Expense stipend.

Confidentiality

Latitude will not propose you to prospective clients without your prior consent. Candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted.

About Latitude

Latitude is a full-service flexible legal talent company serving corporate legal departments and law firms nationwide. From Fortune Global 100 companies to start-ups and Global 50 law firms to boutiques, clients turn to us for top-tier attorneys and other legal professionals.

Latitude specializes in providing highly skilled former in-house counsel and Big Law attorneys for flexible contract engagements and permanent positions in dozens of practice areas, including commercial contracting, data privacy, M&A, employment, litigation, and more.

Founded in 2013, Latitude is a Chambers & Partners globally-ranked flexible legal staffing company.

Latitude Contract Engagements & Secondments

Outstanding attorneys and other legal professionals who are seeking contract assignments or consulting/secondment roles choose to work with Latitude because of our competitive compensation and benefits, sophisticated and engaging work, a chance to work with great clients and peers, and a refreshing blend of freedom with self-designed boundaries. Our own experience as practicing attorneys and our client relationships enable us to effectively tailor our candidate proposals to the specific practice strengths and interpersonal attributes that matter most to our clients and to match our candidates with the opportunities that will be most fulfilling to them.

Our Specialty: Peer-Level Contract Attorneys. Latitude Attorneys have the level of skill, experience, and judgment as would be expected of a permanent member of our client's corporate legal department or law firm and the versatility to step into challenging environments and hit the ground running. Latitude Attorneys serve on a full- or part-time contract basis and work remotely or on-site at the client office.

Permanent Positions

Outstanding legal professionals who are seeking permanent positions choose to work with Latitude because of our deep market knowledge, career advocacy and extensive client base. Our own practice experience and client relationships enable us to effectively tailor our candidate proposals to the specific practice strengths and interpersonal attributes that matter most to our clients and to match our candidates with the opportunities that will be most fulfilling to them.

FAQ:

Q: What other legal jobs do you have?

A: If you're interested in working with Latitude but do not think this particular legal job is the right one for you, we encourage you to explore our other open opportunities or fill out a General Application by visiting us at?https://latitudelegal.com/jobs/

Q: Should I apply for this specific position if I have previously applied for another Latitude position?

A: Yes, it is better to apply to each Latitude job for which you are qualified and interested so that we immediately know of your interest in that specific role. This also enables you to share additional information about your qualifications or interest specific to each role. If you do not meet all of the qualifications for a position but think you would still be highly effective in the role, it can be helpful to include a brief explanation in your application.

Q: How can I reduce the risk of missing Latitude's email inviting me to interview for this position?

A: Please safe-list Latitude's URL domain name (latitudelegal.com) in your spam filter so that an email from one of our recruiters does not get caught in your spam folder. Our recruiters will never contact you by email from a URL other than latitudelegal.com

Q: My current legal team needs help. How can I see Latitude candidates for my legal team?

A: The fastest way is to submit the very short form on our website contact page. A member of our client services team will be back in touch with you very fast to learn more about your need so we can provide you with on point candidates to consider.

For more information about Latitude, please visit us at https://latitudelegal.com.

Thank you for your interest in Latitude!

Latitude is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

LATSD

16528