Remote Patent Prosecution Paralegal at Zirtual

United States

Zirtual is a work-life balanced company that offers law firms practice area specific, experienced virtual paralegals. Our US-based paralegals strive to meet and exceed attorney-client needs and expectations. Zirtual offers paralegals in every practice area and state, both transactional and litigation. Our paralegals are vital members of Zirtual. The paralegal is the main point of contact with their assigned client(s) and will work independently with the law firms. The paralegal will receive support from their assigned Account Supervisor, who will assist the paralegal & law firm relationship with plan modifications, questions, feedback on quality, delegation and collaboration best practices, and more. The paralegal will provide a high-level professional service by working on tasks and projects as assigned by the client, and ensuring they are executed on time and to the highest level of quality. The paralegal is responsible for being the main point of contact for their assigned client(s), and being familiar with each clients’ needs and preferences. The paralegal must have consistent and proactive communication with clients and the Account Supervisors. Paralegals are expected to be available for clients during business hours as agreed upon with each client, but around-the-clock availability is not expected. Paralegals ensure time is entered on a daily basis using a provided tool, respond to all communication within a mutually established response time expectation tailored to each client’s needs, maintain detailed and up-to-date client profiles, and follow Zirtual's best practices for success. Job Overview Paralegals within Zirtual’s Paralegal Division are custom matched based upon the client’s specific needs, practice areas and state. The outlined tasks below will vary based on each client and practice area. When reviewing, please consider those tasks applicable to your specialty. In general, paralegals are expected to have a minimum of 3 years of experience handling the below outlined duties. When offered a client, you will be provided with a Statement of Work that outlines the pay rate for the specific client as well as any area specific additions. While paralegals may be asked to handle legal assistant tasks, the rate will be outlined in the provided Statement of Work. PARALEGAL SUPPORT Hours: Approximately 40 hours per month to start, with potential for growth Schedule: Flexible, with preference for candidates available during Eastern Time Zone business hours About the Role We are seeking an experienced Litigation Paralegal to support a sophisticated federal litigation practice on a remote, independent contractor basis. This position requires approximately 40 hours per month and is ideal for a highly organized professional who can work independently while managing multiple litigation-related tasks. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience supporting federal court litigation matters from inception through trial preparation. Experience with patent litigation is highly desirable. This role requires strong attention to detail, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to coordinate effectively with attorneys, clients, experts, and third-party vendors. Key Responsibilities Manage all aspects of discovery, including document collection, organization, production, and tracking. Administer and support document review platforms, including Reveal or equivalent eDiscovery software. Draft and prepare routine federal court pleadings and filings, including: Notices of Appearance Pro Hac Vice Motions Corporate Disclosure Statements Motions for Extension of Time Attorney Declarations Exhibits and supporting materials Prepare, format, and maintain claim charts, technical exhibits, patent claim documentation, and related litigation materials. Coordinate with expert witnesses, including document collection, transfer, organization, and tracking. Coordinate depositions, including scheduling, exhibit collection, organization, and management. Organize and maintain case files, evidence repositories, and litigation databases. Maintain and organize correspondence files, including client communications, opposing counsel correspondence, and other external-facing communications. Perform electronic filing through federal court ECF systems. Monitor and manage litigation deadlines, court calendars, and docketing requirements. Prepare, format, proofread, and quality-check legal documents, tables, exhibits, and filings. Draft subpoenas and coordinate service with process servers and other vendors. Support attorneys with litigation workflow, case management, and trial preparation activities as needed. What We're Looking For The ideal candidate is more than an executor—they are a problem solver who enjoys building structure, improving processes, and helping busy professionals stay organized. You'll thrive in this role if you: Take initiative and enjoy finding better ways to do things Have strong attention to detail and accuracy Are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment Enjoy technology and learning new tools Can balance multiple priorities without losing track of details Appreciate a collaborative, conversational work environment Minimum of 10 years of federal court litigation experience. Demonstrated experience with federal court electronic filing systems (ECF) and PACER. Experience with Reveal eDiscovery software or a comparable document review platform. Experience with Compulaw or a comparable docket management system. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, including advanced document formatting and table creation. Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Preferred Qualifications Patent litigation experience strongly preferred. Experience preparing claim charts and working with technical exhibits. Experience coordinating expert witnesses and complex discovery matters. Trial preparation experience. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS You will be compensated as a 1099 independent contractor. NOTE: Zirtual does not guarantee hours or clients. Please note that this application is to join the Zirtual contractor network. If offered to join, you will be considered for client opportunities that best match your skills and interests. Protecting Yourself from Recruitment Scams Zirtual is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Zirtual representatives and offer job seekers false interviews or job offers. These scams often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information. To help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following points in mind: No Financial Requests: Zirtual will never ask for payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates. No Equipment: Zirtual does not provide equipment and does not request candidates to pay for equipment. Please always verify communications: Direct from Zirtual: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @zirtual.com address. Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Outreach: If you receive any communication that appears suspicious, contains grammatical errors, or makes unusual requests, do not engage. Always confirm the sender's email domain is @zirtual.com before providing any personal information or clicking on links. What to Do If You Suspect Fraud: Should you encounter any questionable or fraudulent outreach claiming to be from Zirtual, please report it immediately to [email protected]. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts.