The Department

The pace of change in the business world has never been greater. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, new thinking, technology and business models have shaken up the old and made possible ideas that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The Innovation Department brings together expertise from across the Firm, allowing a new level of collaboration and a focus on meeting the needs of clients in diverse and dynamic sectors. Our legal knowledge is underpinned by the latest technology to create better insights, better levels of customer service and increased efficiency for our clients.

The practices within the Innovation Department include those that are well established, recognised as being at the top of their game by the legal industry, and those that we have created in recent years as clients have come to us with new problems to solve and value models to create.

We offer a relentless curiosity for our clients' businesses and sectors, and a passion for finding new ways to help them meet their goals. We have an innate understanding of what drives those creating new ideas, because that's what we are doing within our own business every day.

Job Profile

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our IP Group as a Registry Services Manager, to lead our dedicated Registry Services (Formalities) Team. The role will suit an experienced Formalities Manager or Trade Mark Paralegal who welcomes the opportunity to take a lead role in the formalities function within a busy and expanding IP team. The Registry Services Manager will be supported by a growing team of Registry Services Specialists and Administrators (including a Solicitor Apprentice), and will work alongside the Paralegal/Trainee team.

The role will include the following duties, which will require the Registry Services Manager to work independently as well as part of a team. Excellent written and verbal communication is a pre-requisite, as are organisational and prioritising skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

Management of Registry Services Team

• Taking a leadership role in developing a market leading Registry Services team.
• Setting and maintaining high standards of service in line with business objectives.
• Managing, supervising and training Registry Services team members, allocating work appropriately.
• Monitoring daily deadlines and liaising with team to ensure deadlines met.
• Recording deadlines for all matters across the practice on the database. Setting and maintaining high standards for record management.
• Expert user and trainer of Equinox database software.
• Supervising team and assisting if necessary to process post, communications and manage the trade mark inbox.
• Supervising team and assisting if necessary to prepare and file trade mark and design forms.
• Supervising team and assisting if necessary to record licences, assignments, and other registrable transactions.
• Assisting with meeting formal requirements such as POAs, sending documents for notarisation/legalisation.
• Managing annual trade mark and design renewals process.
• Maintaining and updating Registry Services correspondence templates.
• Assisting with preparation of draft cost estimates for trade mark filings.
• Managing database of foreign agents and client allocation lists.
• Monitoring and ensuring updates in UK and EUIPO and foreign trade mark practice are circulated to team.
• Managing IP registry deposit accounts with finance team.
• Preparing client reports, consistently adhering to client specific requirements for customised reports.

Special Projects

• Practice transformation projects e.g., identifying and implementing opportunities and technology uses to streamline workflows, working alongside our Practice Transformation team.
• Onboarding new clients and their records, verifying data.

Skills/Experience

• Minimum of five years' experience within a trade marks practice.
• Ability to carry out all aspects of trade mark and design formalities work accurately and to a high standard.
• Experience of taking a leadership role/supervisory role within a team.
• Ambitious, with excellent interpersonal/communication skills, and the ability to build strong relationships both externally and internally across the Firm.
• Excellent IT skills and the interest in using new systems to improve efficiency.
• Ability to prioritise workload and demonstrate flexibility when required.
• Ability to take ownership of formalities management.
• Excellent attention to detail and diligent management of deadlines.
• Ability to work independently without supervision, as well as being able to work as part of a close team.
• CITMA Trade Mark Paralegal.
• Thorough knowledge of Equinox, Saegis and Corsearch preferred.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

About The Mishcon de Reya Group

The Mishcon de Reya Group is an independent, international professional services business with law at its heart, employing over 1450 people with over 650 lawyers. It includes the law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP and a collection of leading consultancy businesses that complement the firm's legal services.

Mishcon de Reya LLP is based in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore and Hong Kong (through its association with Karas So LLP). The firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. Its work is cross-border, multi-jurisdictional and complex, spanning seven core practice areas: Corporate; Dispute Resolution; Employment; Impact; Innovation; Private; and Real Estate.

The Mishcon de Reya Group includes consultancy businesses MDR Discover, MDR Mayfair (in London, Singapore and Dubai), MDR ONE, MDRi (in Hong Kong) and MDRx. The Group also includes MDR Lab, which invests in the most promising early stage legaltech companies as well as the Mishcon Academy, its in-house place of learning and platform for thought leadership.

Earlier this year, the Group announced its first strategic acquisition in the alternative legal services market, flexible legal resourcing business Flex Legal. It also acquired a majority stake in Somos, a global group actions management business.

We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk about flexible working.

#LI-Hybrid