Patent Paralegal (In-House)

Job description

Join our global pharmaceutical client as a European Patent Paralegal, supporting a sophisticated international patent portfolio through the full European patent lifecycle. This role sits within the client's IP Operations team and offers the opportunity to work closely with patent attorneys, external European counsel, and the European Patent Office (EPO) on high-impact intellectual property matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the full European patent lifecycle, including prosecution, grant, opposition, validation, and exclusivity management activities.
• Review and docket incoming European patent correspondence, ensuring deadlines and required actions are accurately captured and tracked in Anaqua.
• Monitor EPO and internal deadlines to ensure timely completion of patent-related activities.
• Partner closely with internal patent attorneys and external European law firms to advance European patent matters.
• Prepare and file documents through EPO Online Filing 2.0 and MyEPO.
• Support oppositions and other EPO proceedings, including preparation and coordination of procedural documentation.
• Assist with Supplementary Protection Certificate (SPC) and Patent Term Extension (PTE) tracking and lifecycle management activities.
• Maintain accurate patent records and portfolio data while ensuring a high standard of data integrity.
• Contribute to a collaborative IP Operations team supporting a complex global patent portfolio.

What You'll Do

• Manage European patent prosecution and portfolio administration activities.
• Track and monitor critical deadlines throughout the European patent lifecycle.
• Coordinate with patent attorneys, inventors, outside counsel, and patent offices to ensure timely progression of patent matters.
• Support European Patent Office filings and procedural requirements.
• Maintain and update records within Anaqua and other IP management systems.
• Help ensure compliance with EPO procedural requirements, the European Patent Convention (EPC), and internal policies and procedures.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of experience as a European Patent Paralegal or in a similar intellectual property support role.
• Demonstrated experience supporting European patent prosecution activities.
• Familiarity with EPO procedures and requirements under the European Patent Convention (EPC).
• Experience working with large IP portfolios in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines independently.
• Experience using IP docketing systems; Anaqua experience is strongly preferred.
• Proficiency with MyEPO and EPO Online Filing 2.0.
• Exceptional attention to detail, proofreading skills, and commitment to data integrity.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Epiq Counsel partners with industry-leading clients in support of their sophisticated interim talent needs. Candidates must be interested in practicing within an alternative, fixed-term legal services model.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences patent portfolios.
• Experience with SPC and PTE administration.
• Familiarity with U.S., PCT, and national phase patent filing processes.
• CIPA qualification, EPAC Paralegal qualification, or similar intellectual property credential.
• Experience working directly with European patent attorneys, external European law firms, and the European Patent Office.

Working Arrangement

• Secondment Engagement
• Expected 12+ months, with potential for long-term extension.
• Hybrid role with a minimum of two days per week onsite in Bracknell.
• Convenient location approximately 10 minutes' walk from the Bracknell train station, offering an easy commute from London.

Benfits

• Join a global pharmaceutical industry leader.
• Work alongside experienced patent attorneys and IP professionals.
• Gain exposure to complex international patent portfolios.
• Long-term engagement stability with potential for extension.
• Hybrid flexibility with a collaborative and supportive team.

Should your experience meet the role requirements, the Epiq Counsel team will contact you. The Epiq Counsel team strives to respond to all applications; however due to the volume of applicants, we cannot always respond to every application.

About Epiq Counsel

Epiq Counsel is an innovative legal services talent provider that offers meaningful in-house legal secondment work and flexibility to sophisticated and credentialed lawyers and legal professionals. Our lawyers and legal professionals work on a wide variety of legal matters for Fortune 500 clients. Epiq works hard to provide our diverse legal talent with challenging work for sophisticated clients that does not require sacrificing flexibility or control.

Our team takes the time and attention to understand each legal professionals practice areas, experience, and preferences to ensure they are presented with sophisticated interim in-house opportunities with leading law departments across the globe. Leverage our network to work for organisations in need of top-tier legal services. Take the next step in your legal career and join a vibrant community of Epiq legal professionals!

Extra information

Status

Open

Education Level

Secondary School

Location

Bracknell

Type of Contract

Full-time jobs

Published at

01-09-2026

Profession type

Retail

Full UK/EU driving license preferred

No

Car Preferred

No

Must be eligible to work in the EU

No

Cover Letter Required

No

Languages

English