Legal Assistant

Overview

This role involves legal research and analysis support focused on Chinese Intellectual Property and Patent Law. The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of Chinese patent law, CNIPA standards and procedures, patent prosecution, patentability, and claims drafting, and can produce well-reasoned, jurisdiction-specific legal analysis.

• Engagement: 35 hours per week
• Jurisdiction: China
• Primary Language: Mandarin
• Domain: Intellectual Property Law / Patent Law

Responsibilities

• Conduct detailed legal research using Chinese laws, regulations, case law, and CNIPA materials.
• Analyze complex legal and patent-related questions within the Chinese jurisdiction.
• Prepare accurate, well-structured legal research outputs, summaries, and written analyses.
• Review and draft patent-related legal documents and claims where required.
• Verify legal citations, authorities, statutory provisions, and regulatory references.
• Apply sound legal reasoning to identify relevant legal principles and their practical implications.
• Ensure all research and analysis is specific to the Chinese legal and regulatory framework.
• Follow project-specific research methodologies, quality standards, and documentation requirements.
• Deliver accurate, consistent, and high-quality work within agreed timelines.

Requirements

• 3+ years of relevant professional experience in Chinese Intellectual Property, Patent Law, legal research, patent prosecution, or a closely related field.
• Licensed Attorney/Legal Practitioner, JD/LL.M. graduate, Senior Legal Researcher, or experienced Paralegal.
• Strong understanding of Chinese patent legislation and CNIPA procedures and standards.
• Demonstrated experience in patent prosecution, patent research, claims drafting, or patent analysis.
• Excellent legal reasoning and statutory interpretation skills.
• Strong ability to conduct independent legal research using authoritative Chinese legal sources.
• Excellent legal writing, documentation, and citation-verification skills.
• Mandarin proficiency is required; professional-level English is an advantage for reviewing project instructions and reference materials.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify inconsistencies or inaccuracies in legal documents.
• Ability to work independently and commit to 35 hours per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with patent law firms, corporate legal teams, IP consultancies, or legal research organizations.
• Hands-on experience dealing with CNIPA patent examination or prosecution.
• Experience with patent claims drafting and amendment.
• Familiarity with Chinese patent examination guidelines and relevant judicial interpretations.
• Experience conducting structured legal research for AI, legal-tech, or data-driven projects.