Remote Patent Prosecution Paralegal

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

Requirements

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

Benefits

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.

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 support@zirtual.com. Your proactive caution is invaluable in protecting your personal information and upholding the security and trustworthiness of our recruitment efforts