IP Litigation Paralegal

Job Description

About Us:

Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP is a leading national law firm focused on serving the transaction, advocacy and advisory needs of Canada's most dynamic business sectors. We have one of the largest business law practices in the country, serving multinational, national and mid-market clients from our offices in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

Our Culture:

At Cassels, our mission is to attract, retain and promote individuals of exceptional ability and talent from as broad a range of backgrounds as possible. We offer meaningful career opportunities, invest in professional growth, and foster an inclusive environment. Our Firm's success is built on the unique skills, perspectives, experiences and values of each individual. We encourage a corporate culture that respects and celebrates the dignity, value and diversity of all.

Role Overview:

Our Vancouver office is currently recruiting for an IP Litigation Paralegal in our Litigation and Dispute Resolution reporting to our Senior Director of Paralegals & Law Clerks. This individual will assist intellectual property lawyers at the firm with all phases of intellectual property litigation and brand protection efforts. The ideal candidate will be an organized and eager professional who possesses great client service skills and a passion for protecting brand integrity.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Assisting in all phases of IP litigation across Canada including pre-litigation, pleadings, motions, discovery, trial, post-judgment, settlement, and enforcement, with a focus on the Federal Court.
• Drafting, reviewing, finalizing, serving, and filing legal documents and correspondence.
• Corresponding directly with clients under lawyer supervision.
• Monitoring third-party activities for unauthorized trademark use (online and in the field).
• Conducting investigations and asset searches to support enforcement actions.
• Reporting findings of infringement for legal follow-up and synthesize same.
• Communicating with opposing counsel, infringers, court registries, CBSA, sheriffs, bailiffs, process servers, and private investigators.
• Organizing, managing, and maintaining case files and conducting legal research.
• Managing and preparing trademark recordations and renewals with Customs.
• Authenticating goods and overseeing apostille and legalization of corporate documents for international use.
• Calculating and tracking litigation deadlines; ensure timely submission of all documents.

The successful candidate must have the following education, experience and/or demonstrated skills:

• Paralegal diploma/certificate and/or university degree from an accredited institution.
• Knowledge of legal terminology, procedures and statutes.
• Preferably 8+ years of relevant work experience in IP Litigation.
• Understanding of trademark law and brand enforcement procedures.
• Ability to work independently and assume ownership of the file.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Outstanding time management, prioritization and organizational skills.
• Strong critical thinking skills and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work proactively with lawyers to manage deadlines.
• Strong communication skills (both verbal and written) including the ability to manage clients, and all levels of lawyers and legal professionals.
• Maturity, consistency of approach and ability to relate to all levels of lawyers and legal professionals.

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Salary: $125,000 - $135,000 Annually

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation + Extended Health & Dental Care.
• RRSP Matching Program.
• Education/tuition allowance.
• Fitness Reimbursement Program.
• Diversity and Inclusion Centric Culture.
• A Culture of Wellness: Cassels recognizes the importance of wellness and provides a comprehensive program that addresses the mental and physical well-being of our employees by providing resources, services, training and support on an ongoing basis.
• A fully stocked kitchen with healthy snacks, plus coffee, tea, and drinks throughout the year.
• A business casual dress code (client/day specific).
• Employee referral bonus.
• A hybrid work environment.

Cassels is an equal opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and an accessible environment. It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, racialized people, people with disabilities, people from gender and sexually diverse communities and/or people with intersectional identities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, and we will provide appropriate accommodation for candidates with disabilities or accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process, upon request. Please contact our recruiter for any questions, accommodations or specific requests.

We wish to thank all applicants for their interest, however, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. We regret that we are unable to respond to individual inquiries about application status, unless required for accommodation purposes.