Director of IP Client Service

Cooley is seeking a Director of IP Client Service to join Cooley's IP Team.

About Cooley: Cooley is a global law firm with an expansive practice and more than 3,000 employees and partners worldwide. We value and celebrate diverse perspectives and strive to create a workplace where every individual can thrive. At the core of Cooley’s success is the exceptional talent and unwavering spirit of our people. We embrace individuality while fostering a ‘one-firm’ culture where collaboration and creativity thrive. Our people are the foundation of our success and the driving force behind everything we do.  

Hybrid Schedule Philosophy: As part of the Cooley culture, we recognize and appreciate the value of being together, in person, to build comradery with others in the office and to be a contributing member of the Cooley office. However, we also appreciate the benefits and flexibility that come from remote working. As such, the default assumption for employees and partners is a hybrid schedule: some in-office presence and some work from home days absent certain essential in-office roles that require five (5) days/week in-office. Your supervisor will share more details about the hybrid schedule expectation for this role.

Position summary: The Director of IP Client Service is responsible for the management of client-facing specialist teams and providing leadership and direction to strategically manage internal/external client service at an operational level with focus on efficiency, process improvement, risk management, quality control, workflow, or other processes impacting client service.  Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Position responsibilities:

Client service:

• Balance and evolve service strategy with a focus on team performance that enable excellence in client service and operational efficiency

• Proactively engage with practitioners to ensure that client service is effective and efficient

• Evaluate processes and procedures, orchestrating improvements to client service

• Collaborate with direct report managers and supervisors to proactively identify issues, compliance, risks, and team priorities and propose appropriate courses of action

• Work collaboratively with direct report managers and supervisors to conduct quality control reviews of client facing specialist team members to ensure accuracy, consistency and adherence to the rules of 37 C.F.R., Best Practices and other procedural guidelines

• Ensure direct report team needs are correctly prioritized in order to focus on effective allocation of resources, to deliver measurable and significant value

• Develop matrices to measure, evaluate and report on the effectiveness of the client service teams

• Establish accountability processes to ensure efficiency and accuracy of services provided

• Effectively delegate tasks across the direct report manager and supervisor teams

• Identify and eliminate root cause barriers to accuracy, productivity, and quality

• Ensure team members are developing the skills and knowledge to carry out their role effectively

• Identify skill gaps and implement necessary training to ensure performance standards are met

• Coach and develop direct report managers and supervisors to achieve client service and operational quality, consistency and high-level customer service

• Assess internal training and professional development effectiveness to ensure performance outcomes are achieved within budget and department objectives

• Ensure department employee training is consistent with the requirements and standards of IP Employee Learning and Development programs

• Ensure accurate and timely entry of billable, non-billable time and fixed fees

• Manage realization rate of collection for billed services to identify challenges early and make adjustments to maintain profitability.  Recommend changes to improve fixed fee and hourly billing practices and rates

Strategic management:

• Collaborate with the Director of IP Operations to assist with the development or enhancement of systems and processes to provide the most effective and efficient service to clients ensuring internal processes align with other internal team processes, where applicable

• Develop and coordinate methods to ensure implementation of BPC policies and directives, collaborating with the Patent Leadership Committee, practice group Resource Attorneys, the Director of IP Operations, and IP Services management

• Work closely with firm wide support departments, technical colleagues and other subject matter experts to streamline department processes

• Analyze and recommend staffing strategies to adjust for volume and growth

Portfolio management:

• Collaborate with senior practitioners to manage and oversee client support team reassignments for complex clients to ensure seamless handoff

• Serve as escalation point for critical client issues and work closely with senior practitioners, IP Services management team and other departments to ensure appropriate management and issue resolution

• Proactively solve complex client service issues to improve service levels

• Customize workflows based on client portfolio and practitioner expectations

Local office IP support:

• Serve as local office IP Services management resource to ensure group-wide services are effective

• Proactively engage with practitioners and business professionals, developing working relationships to be an effective gateway to all services of the IP Services department

• Assist with troubleshooting issues and work closely with IP Services management team to provide responsive and efficient people or systems support to meet practitioner and client needs

General responsibilities:

• Work effectively and collaboratively as a team leader and member

• Work within the guidelines of established IP principles and practices

• Interpret, clearly communicate and effectively enforce policies and procedures

• Maintain high standards for internal/external client service and quality control

• Inspire and lead in a way that gets the best contribution from a wide range of team members

• Prepare and deliver oral and written communications that are concise, convey tenacity, enthusiasm and innovative thinking

• Perform as a strategic partner to nurture new ideas and concepts.  Identify, lead and manage innovative approaches to business challenges and work with the Patent Leadership Committee, IP Management, BPC and other departments to evolve operations and system processes that increase efficiency and mitigate risk

• Moderate and facilitate meetings comprised of IP partners, associates, practice group professionals and other IP Services business professionals; set and manage realistic expectations for project deliverables; put ideas into a practical context and coordinate efforts of multi-disciplinary teams to meet project deliverables

• Continuously review productivity and efficiency of employees; coordinate with HR to recommend educational opportunities to provide training that will enhance employee performance

• Provide day-to-day supervision of direct reports, ensure compliance with assigned work hours and monitor for compliance with all firm and department policies. Review and process time logs as needed (pertains to non-exempt direct reports)

• Participate in hiring, performance appraisals, counseling, terminations and other employee lifecycle events in conjunction with HR, IP Senior Staffing & Employee Resource Manager and direct manager

• Keep Director of IP Services apprised of all business professional and management performance problems (managed day-to-day by the HR Business Partner, IP Senior Staffing & Employee Resource Manager, and direct manager)

• Work closely with HR, Director of IP Services and IP Senior Staffing & Employee Resource Manager, and direct reports to ensure all performance concerns are properly documented and addressed. 

• In coordination with HR, prepare and maintain detailed and timely performance counseling notes

• Immediately report all risk management-related concerns following proscribed risk reporting process detailed in both the Patent Policies & Procedures and TCA Manuals

• Independently manage and work collaboratively on special projects

• Provide backup to IP Services management team members, as required

• All other duties as assigned or required

Skills & experience: 

Required:

• After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications

• Ability to work extended and/or weekend hours, as required

• Ability to travel, as required

• Bachelor's Degree or creditable experience

• Minimum 10 years’ directly applicable IP experience with 5+ years’ experience at a senior manager level with a professional services firm, preferably a law firm

• Proven experience managing, developing and mentoring managers and teams across functional areas of responsibility

• Project management experience

• Proven ability to identify and analyze complex issues and problems in management areas, and recommend and implement effective solutions

Preferred:

• Experience in a professional services or law firm environment, with proven ability to coach and motivate

• Experience researching IP status and history in PTO databases, including USPTO systems (PatentCenter, TSDR), WIPO Patentscope and Madrid Monitor, the EPO Patent Register, and EUIPO eSearch, as well as public databases in other jurisdictions

• Possess working knowledge and keep abreast of rules according to USPTO procedures, 37 C.F.R., the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) rules, and the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure (TMEP)

Competencies:

• Work effectively and collaboratively as a team leader and member

• Interpret, clearly communicate and effectively enforce policies and procedures

• Maintain high standards for internal/external client service and quality control

• Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data.

• Inspire and lead in a way that gets the best contribution from a wide range of team members

• Champion and promote creativity and inclusion to help drive positive change

• Ability to work independently and under pressure/tight time constraints

• High aptitude for multi-tasking

• Creative and entrepreneurial approach to problem-solving and process improvement 

• Strong analytical ability and implementation skills 

• Strong project management skills

• Flexible and agile, ability to reprioritize with changes in the business

• Ability to meet deadlines and effectively complete operational and project-based assignments

• Strong initiative and a get-it-done attitude

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, leadership and management skills

• Customer service oriented, as demonstrated by strong attention to detail, organization and ability to prioritize work tasks and manage deadlines based upon internal and external client needs

Direct reports.   Yes.

Cooley offers a competitive compensation and excellent benefits package and is committed to fair and equitable employment practices. EOE.

The expected annual pay range for this position with a full-time schedule is $220,000 - $270,000. Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.

We offer a full range of elective benefits including medical, health savings account (with applicable medical plan), dental, vision, health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, life insurance, AD&D, long-term care coverage, backup care for children and/or adults and other parental support benefits. In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive firm-paid life insurance, AD&D, LTD, short term medical benefits as well as 25 days of Paid Time Off (“PTO”) and 10 paid holidays each year. We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.