Opportunities for Staff

Welcome to Pierce Atwood’s online application portal.

Thank you for your interest in a career with Pierce Atwood. Pierce Atwood only accepts resumes through our online application portal. If you meet the qualifications of a posted position listed below, we encourage you to apply by checking the box next to the position(s) of interest and clicking on “Apply.” Follow the instructions on the Submit Application screen and be prepared to attach a cover letter and current resume. Applications must be completed by the candidate him/herself.

Pierce Atwood LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

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If we are interested in discussing this exciting opportunity with you, we will contact you directly. As much as we strive to connect with our applicants, due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we cannot personally respond to every applicant submission. No phone calls, please.

Pierce Atwood is committed to providing a competitive compensation package that recognizes individual and team contributions. Our compensation package is reviewed annually to ensure that we maintain a highly competitive position within the marketplace. Discretionary performance-driven bonuses are also awarded based on contributions over the course of an evaluation year. Benefits are an important part of our total compensation package. Each employee's work and family situation is different and we have designed our package to be flexible to the unique needs of each employee.

Health Benefits

• Medical Plans (self, family and domestic partner)
• Dental Insurance (self, family, and domestic partner)
• Vision Service Plan (self, family, and domestic partner)
• Pre-Tax Dependent Care and Health Care Spending Accounts
• Annual flu vaccines
• Wellness program and funding for wellness related activities

Insurance Benefits

• Employee Life Insurance
• Short and Long Term Disability Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Option
• Business Travel Accident Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance Option
• Identify Theft Insurance

Work/Life Benefits

• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Generous Paid Time Off and Holidays
• Pre-Tax Parking and Transportation Accounts and subsidies
• Emergency Back-Up Child and Adult Dependent Care
• Paid Parental Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Computer Discount Purchase Program
• Personal Insurance Discount Program
• Bereavement Leave
• Employer sponsored 529 College Savings Plan
• Adoption Assistance

Retirement Benefits

• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan
• Firm Discretionary Profit Sharing Contributions

Job Summary

Under general supervision and according to established policies and procedures, performs administrative duties in support of attorneys in the IP Practice area.  Maintains positive contact with client and co-workers, and observes confidentiality in all client and firm matters.

Responsibilities Include:

• Open new client matters and maintain files;
• Format and file U.S. and PCT patent applications and attend to new electronic filings;
• Prepare formal documents such as Declaration/Power of Attorney and Assignments;
• Report patent filings status and other documentation updates to clients as necessary;
• Respond to formal Notices such as Missing Parts & Corrected Application Papers;
• Attend to Assignment Recordations;
• Attend to preparation of Informational Disclosure Statements and electronic filing;
• Assist with preparation of Office Action responses and attend to electronic filings;
• Correspond with foreign agents and clients concerning actions due;
• Maintain attorney docket and calendars to ensure deadlines are timely met;
• Review official Letters Patent and attend to corrections if necessary; and
• Attend to transfer of patent files and maintenance of off-site storage including physical and electronic files.
• Other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Bachelor’s degree preferred and/or Associates degree with relevant work experience
• Minimum of 3 years patent prosecution experience, preferably in a large law firm or in-house legal department
• Knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent filing and prosecution
• Knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, standard patent docketing systems, and standard document management databases preferred

Relationship Management:

• Must work cooperatively and professionally with team members;
• Must work cooperatively and professionally with foreign agents and clients;
• Must balance workflow and appropriately prioritize;
• Must work with team members to offer solutions as issues arise;
• Must be willing to participate in practice group business development meetings and focus group meetings;
• Must take initiative to complete any requests and inquiries of an administrative nature;

• Must work independently, with minimal supervision, to produce an accurate and well documented work product often under time-sensitive scheduling where multiple projects are required concurrently; and
• Must demonstrate the ability to maintain strict confidentiality of the firm’s and its clients’ information.

To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume to Heather Higgins at hhiggins@pierceatwood.com.

Job Summary

This Staff Accountant position is a member of the Accounting Team focused primarily on a high volume real estate lending practice in Pierce Atwood’s Boston office. In most cases PA represents the lender in these transactions, and the Staff Accountant is an integral part of the team handling this work. Among other things, the person in this position ensures that the funding for each deal is in place, and at the time of closing, works with the responsible attorney(s) to see that funds are properly disbursed.

 Primary Responsibilities

• Work with the responsible attorneys to manage the flow of funds into and out of PA’s trust accounts for hundreds of real estate closings each year.
• Follow up as needed to ensure that trust account balances go to zero at the completion of each closing.
• Coordinate and monitor the billing process to see that matters to be paid at closing are properly billed and paid. Work with other members of the Accounting team to monitor non-closing real estate billing spreadsheet and invoice payments
• Work with other Accounting team members to resolve any issues that arise in the reconciliation of PA’s bank accounts.
• Ensure that appropriate fraud controls measures are followed, in particular when disbursing funds by wire transfer.
• Establish and maintain working relationship with each of the banks PA represents.
• Establish and maintain login credentials with each of these banks.
• Follow up as needed on disbursement checks that remain uncashed.
• Process check requests through PA’s Boston operating account for other attorneys in the office as needed and monitor this account.

Qualifications

• BS in Business or Accounting and 5 or more years of related experience is preferred
• Experience in a law firm setting and with IOLTA accounts is preferred
• Experience with a real estate lending practice would be ideal
• Strong organizational, time management and multi-tasking abilities
• The ability to maintain confidentiality concerning financial information is critical
• Strong communications skills – both written and verbal
• Ability to maintain a high level of accuracy in preparing and financial information
• Strong customer service skills; ability to respond to requests in a prompt, professional manner
• Solid Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, Outlook)
   

To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume to Heather Higgins at hhiggins@pierceatwood.com.

Job Summary

Under general supervision and according to established policies and procedures, the Legal Administrative Assistant performs a variety of administrative and transactional duties in support of attorneys, paralegals in the Real Estate practice group and in support of Bigelow Title Company. Maintains positive contact with clients and co-workers, and observes confidentiality in all client and firm matters.  Key job responsibilities include: working with attorneys to prepare for closings, including calling tax assessors for tax information; preparing settlement statements and other closing documents; e-recording documents and coordinating post closing matters, including the preparation of closing books; supporting title attorneys, title paralegals and Title Company, opening and maintaining title files, preparing and revising title commitments, searching for and retrieving recorded documents on registry websites; billing; performing conflict checks and opening new matter reports.

General Position Responsibilities

• Collect appropriate information/data in regards to opening new matter reports for incoming work.
• Coordinate preliminary conflict checks through the automated system to ensure attorney and firm ability to represent potential client.
• Prepare closing documents and assist in preparation for closings.
• Coordinating with Finance Department re disbursements and funding.
• Proofread and edit documents for grammatical, typographical and spelling errors.  Finalize and distribute to clients, attorneys and staff.  Ensure deadlines are anticipated and met.
• Receive, screen and route incoming telephone calls, conference calls and messages to attorneys, clients and staff promptly.  Assist callers as appropriate in attorney’s absence.  Refer callers to other attorneys and respond to inquiries when appropriate.
• Sort, date stamp and distribute incoming and outgoing mail promptly upon receipt several times a day.  Open and review materials as directed.
• Transcribe and edit correspondence, documents, memoranda, and project work in the production of legal documents.  Carry out instructions from tapes, verbal and/or handwritten materials.  Compose routine correspondence for attorney signature.
• Coordinate conferences, meetings and appointments for attorneys and clients including conference room scheduling, meals, beverages, preparation of materials and greeting clients. Coordinate seminar registration and travel arrangements securing air, hotel and car reservations for attorney and clients.
• Maintain calendar of meetings and business trips according to the methods preferred by each attorney, apprising attorney of responsibilities in advance of commitment.
• Set up, organize and maintain firm files.  Read and review material to be filed, file documents in proper files, and retrieve documents and files when requested.  Designate disposition of files to either form files, attorney files or finish files as appropriate.  Close files at end of matter.
• Perform a variety of administrative functions including processing new matter reports, preparation of expense reports, tracking CLE credits, coordinating with Finance Department regarding accounts receivable, etc.
• Employ firm applications efficiently and effectively to process work.
• Work collaboratively with others in the real estate group, including other administrative assistants, as well as others across the firm to meet the needs of attorneys across the firm.
• Follow up on requests made by attorneys, paralegals and clients.
• Assist other attorneys or staff in performing secretarial functions as requested or needed.
• Perform other functions as requested or needed.

To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume to Heather Higgins at hhiggins@pierceatwood.com.