What We Do. Smart & Biggar has been at the forefront of intellectual property (IP) and technology law for over 125 years. We practice in every area of IP on behalf of an exceptional international clientele, and we are consistently ranked as Canada’s leading IP firm. We are committed to hiring people with different backgrounds and experience, who represent the best talent in their field. We are part of the IPH Group. IPH Limited is the holding company for intellectual property (“IP”) and associated companies offering a wide range of IP services and products. IPH companies employ a highly skilled multidisciplinary team of over 1,200 people in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand. IPH companies service a diverse client base of Fortune Global 500 companies, multinationals, public sector research organizations, SMEs, and professional services firms worldwide. We are passionate about what we do and what we can achieve. The IPH Group is committed to promoting and maintaining a workplace culture of shared respect across companies to enable us all to feel valued and be the best we can be.
The Opportunity. Smart & Biggar is currently looking for a summer student to join our Operations team as an Administrative Clerk for a minimum 4-month term.
Reporting to the Team Coordinator, the student will assist with day-to-day administrative tasks. In this role, you will be able to develop your administrative skills and gain exposure to the day-to-day operations of an IP firm.
Responsibilities. • Communicate with clients while adhering to client-specific and confidentiality requirements. • Maintain and update records and documentation in accordance with operational guidelines. • Assist with reporting various notices issued by the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). • Track deadlines and assist with sending client reminders. • Work collaboratively with internal teams, including reception support as needed. • Perform other administrative and operational duties to support the team, as assigned.
Qualifications, competencies and experience. • Currently enrolled in post-secondary education • Related work experience in an administrative support role would be an asset • Ability to manage multiple priorities and work in a fast-paced and ever-changing work environment • Proficiency in MS Office • Strong communication skills and discretion with confidential information • Eagerness to learn and contribute to a team environment
Compensation. The base annual salary for this role will be positioned at approximately $44,000 taking into consideration factors such as location, job-related knowledge, prior experience, qualifications, and internal equity. Our recruitment process uses AI-enabled tools to assist with the assessment of applications based on job-related criteria. These tools do not make the final decisions. All decisions related to screening, interviewing and selection are made by our Talent Acquisition and hiring teams. #LI-HYBRID
Smart & Biggar is a proud member of the Law Firm Diversity and Inclusion Network (LFDIN), working to promote diversity and encourage a culture of inclusion in our Firm and the broader legal profession. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
