Patent Formalities Officer

The Glasgow & Edinburgh offices of HGF provides legal advice, in particular relating to patents in the life sciences, chemistry, electronics, software and engineering fields, to a wide variety of clients both in the UK and overseas. The clients can be very demanding, having complex and often changing specific requirements. Accuracy and attention to detail are essential. The nature of the work is very deadline-driven and working on numerous different cases, which each require the same high quality of service.

As a Patent Formalities Officer you will provide a high-quality, timely and comprehensive patent formalities service for HGF clients of the Glasgow & Edinburgh offices, as directed by the fee-earning teams. This is a business-critical role in a busy and highly valued Formalities team.

• Provide an administration service for the filing and prosecuting of British, International (PCT), European and other national patent countries.
• Ensure patent and patent application deadlines are met with 100% levels of accuracy.
• Ensure the legal and fee requirements of each application are met according to the requirements of the relevant country.
• Progress actions required of shareholders and attorneys to meet the required deadlines.
• Prepare, execute and, where appropriate, legalise all the legally required documentation needed to support the ‘filing’ or registration of patents.
• Liaise with shareholders and attorneys to ensure actions assigned to them are progressed within the required timescales.
• Maintain a good understanding of patent law in the range of countries in which we regularly file patents; and a high level of specialised knowledge relating to patent formalities and their associated administration, in order to provide a professional service to clients.

• Demonstrable previous experience of the full range of patent formalities procedures and filing administration requirements for the UK, Europe and other countries.
• High levels of accuracy and attention to detail under time pressures.
• Highly efficient and organised in approach to work.
• Able to quickly and effectively prioritise workload daily.
• Must be a team player, willing to work co-operatively with, and support, team members.
• Confident with MS Word and Excel, able to quickly pick up internal systems.

HGF Limited is one of Europe’s largest intellectual property specialist firms offering a fully integrated IP solution, bringing over 200 Patent Attorneys, Trade Mark Attorneys and IP Solicitors together to provide a full-service IP solution. With 25 offices across the UK, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, France, Switzerland & Austria, HGF’s Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys provide specialist technical and legal advice to blue chip organisations and small to medium businesses across the world. Many of our clients are household names and the work HGF does allows them to protect and exploit their inventions, new products and branding.

HGF takes a transparent and merit-based approach to your career development and you will have the opportunity to shape your long-term progression. We’re a firm with a focus on DEI (Diversity, Equality and Inclusion), with a staff led DEI Focus Group, affinity networks and a DEI Board sponsor. As a business we have a dedicated Learning and Development team focused on career long development of your skills along with a digital learning platform covering a wide range of content. Benefits including our award winning enhanced parental leave policy, 27 days holiday, bonus scheme and flexible working.

• People - People matter. We treat people fairly, with respect and compassion. We foster a friendly, inclusive and enjoyable culture for everyone to prosper in. We invest in our people and offer appropriate coaching and training to assist with development and learning. We promote a healthy work-life balance. Progression is based on merit.
• Excellence – We strive to be the best. We pursue excellence in all our individual roles resulting in outstanding legal and technical advice for our clients. Our people are pragmatic, responsive and commercially minded. We do not presume but listen to understand so we can engage proactively and appropriately.
• Teamwork – We stand together. We work with our clients to protect their interests, and with each other as a mutually supporting firm. We value, appreciate and listen to others, regardless of role, recognising each individual’s particular blend of talent, skill and experience. We are individually and jointly accountable and take responsibility for our actions and decisions.
• Progressive – We innovate. We continually improve our services and processes through understanding, creativity, and investment. We evolve by taking opportunities and adopting new business procedures, unencumbered by historical structures or out-of-date attitudes. As a firm, we have an entrepreneurial spirit, and encourage new thinking in our people.