Patent Associate

Patent Associate — Full-Time | 3–6 Years Experience | Las Vegas

About the Firm

Our client is a nationally recognized, full-service law and government relations firm with a 50+ year track record handling the country's most consequential cases, legislation, and transactions. With more than a dozen offices nationwide and 600+ professionals — including 300+ attorneys and policy advisors — this firm operates at the top of its field in every market it serves.

Their IP team is built differently: attorneys who aren't just lawyers — they're former scientists, engineers, software developers, and in-house counsel. That technical depth produces stronger applications, sharper prosecution strategy, and more credible client counsel.

Confidential search. The firm's name is shared with qualified candidates only.

The Role

We are placing a Patent Associate with 3–6 years of experience in Las Vegas. This is a high-impact role for an attorney with a strong technical background who wants to work on cutting-edge technologies for some of the world's most innovative companies — with a genuine path to partnership.

What You'll Do

Patent Prosecution & Drafting

• Draft patent applications — specifications, claims, and figures — across consumer electronics, software, AI/ML, and adjacent technology areas
• Prepare and file responses to USPTO Office Actions, including claim amendments and examiner interviews
• Conduct oral and video examiner interviews to advance prosecution strategy
• Manage USPTO deadlines and all Office communications with precision
• Draft continuation, divisional, and CIP applications as part of ongoing portfolio strategy

Client Counseling & Inventor Relations

• Participate in inventor disclosure meetings to understand the technical and business scope of new inventions
• Advise clients on patent strategy, claim scope, and portfolio development aligned with business goals
• Build trusted relationships with inventors, engineers, and in-house counsel
• Counsel clients on emerging technology trends and their impact on patentability and competitive positioning

Opinions & Strategic Work

• Prepare freedom-to-operate (FTO), patentability, invalidity, and non-infringement opinions
• Conduct patent landscape analyses and prior art searches
• Support IP due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and licensing transactions
• Draft and negotiate IP licensing and technology transfer agreements

Post-Grant Proceedings

• Prepare and prosecute IPR and PGR proceedings at the PTAB
• Draft petitions, patent owner responses, and reply briefs
• Handle ex parte reexamination proceedings and PTAB appeals

Technical Focus Areas

Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, or Computer Science required. Prior non-legal technical experience strongly valued, including: consumer electronics, software and web-based services, full-stack development, generative AI, machine learning, data structures, data storage, and databases.

What We're Looking For

Required:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• USPTO Patent Bar registration — or eligibility to sit for and pass the Patent Bar Exam
• Active state bar admission in good standing
• 3–6 years of patent prosecution experience at a law firm or in-house
• Undergraduate or advanced degree in EE, ME, CS, Software Engineering, or closely related field
• Superior drafting skills — technically accurate, strategically sound
• Strong academic credentials and analytical ability
• Ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines simultaneously

Preferred:

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant technical discipline
• Prior non-legal industry experience in software, AI/ML, or consumer electronics
• Experience with PTAB proceedings (IPR, PGR, or ex parte reexamination)
• International prosecution experience (PCT, EPO, or foreign associate coordination)

Why This Role

• Cutting-edge technology portfolio — AI, machine learning, advanced software, consumer electronics
• Technical peers who actually understand the technology, not just the law
• Nine office locations — real geographic flexibility
• Mentorship from nationally recognized IP attorneys
• Clear, supported path to partnership