Trademark Paralegal

Trademark Paralegal

The NBA currently provides eligible employees the option of working remotely one day per week.

About the Role

We are seeking a Trademark Paralegal to join our fast-paced legal team. In this role, you will balance strategic portfolio maintenance - including preparing various submissions to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) - with active digital brand enforcement. We are looking for an independent self-starter who has deep familiarity with IP docketing software and a sharp eye for identifying marketplace infringements. You will work closely with NBA attorneys, intellectual property managers, and outside counsel to serve a key role in safeguarding our global brand.

Key Responsibilities

Trademark Prosecution & Portfolio Management

• Be an active member of the IP team that manages the end-to-end lifecycle of the worldwide trademark portfolio of the NBA and its affiliated leagues to protect the value of the company's brand and global IP assets.
• Prepare and file various USPTO documents, including trademark applications, Requests for Extensions of Time, Statements of Use, Amendments, Section 8 & 15 Affidavits of Use, Declarations of Incontestability, and Renewals.
• Draft responses to USPTO Office Actions (including TEAS filings) and international Office Actions and notifications.
• Research and evaluate potential specimens of use for submission to the USPTO and to foreign jurisdictions that require a Declaration of Continued Use.
• Assist in overseeing U.S. and international trademark portfolios, including communicating with foreign outside counsel and coordinating directly with clients.
• Assist with the preparing, filing, and managing TTAB proceedings.

Digital Brand Enforcement

• Audit e-commerce websites and digital marketplaces for counterfeit and unlicensed merchandise.
• Draft and submit IP infringement notices and demand letters, including assisting with a high volume of demand letters targeting print-on-demand networks and standalone international websites.
• Track online takedown requests to ensure compliance and conduct necessary follow-up, including managing both automated vendor platforms and manual, time-intensive URL information collection.
• Manage targeted platform takedowns requiring deep web research, with a focus on TikTok Shop, Instagram sponsored ads, and marketplace account resellers.
• Assist in promptly and effectively addressing periodic digital enforcement spikes (e.g., following high-profile player transfers, team milestones, and league championship events).
• Provide event-based enforcement support, including ongoing anti-piracy and brand protection enforcement targeting unlicensed event promoters during annual NBA All-Star and related events.
• Assist in onboarding new digital enforcement portals, online marketplaces, platforms, and third-party league vendors, including uploading bulk/ large-scale sets of trademark registration certificates.
• Work with third-party technology vendors to streamline, coordinate, and execute global digital brand protection initiatives.
• Prepare regular reports detailing enforcement efforts, evaluating localized campaign impacts, analyzing data, and tracking IP enforcement expenditures.
• Provide support in connection with other online IP enforcement matters, including domain name disputes, UDRP proceedings, and ambush marketing threats.
• Assist in managing state and federal customs enforcement efforts by gathering/uploading photographic evidence, tracking active case records, and organizing investigative documentation.

Qualifications & Requirements

• At least 5 years of trademark or intellectual property paralegal experience in a law firm IP practice or an in-house legal department.
• Working knowledge of USPTO procedures, TEAS filings, TTAB practice, and Madrid Protocol/WIPO filings.
• Knowledge of trademark filing processes, international procedures, and foreign associate management.
• Proficiency with IP docketing software such as CPI, Anaqua, or Pattsy, (experience with Memotech is a plus).
• Direct experience or familiarity with digital brand protection platforms and online marketplace takedown tools.
• Sharp visual attention to detail for tracking online infringements, collecting evidence of use, and matching product photos.
• Familiarity with document management systems and case-tracking databases.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, and online research tools.
• Fluency in core office productivity software, document management databases, and case-tracking databases.
• Excellent time-management skills to handle a diverse workflow spanning steady filings, prosecution, oppositions, and project-based digital audits.

Education

• University degree or a professional paralegal qualification.

Salary Range: $90,000-$110,000