Intellectual Property Associate - Technology

WilmerHale

📍Washington, DC
Posted May 23, 2026

Job Overview

Position

Intellectual Property Associate - Technology

Company

WilmerHale

Location

Washington, DC

Work Type

On-site

Job ID

li-4368054244

Job Description

WilmerHale is a leading, full-service international law firm with 1,000 lawyers located throughout 12 offices in the United States and Europe. Our lawyers work at the intersection of government, technology, and business and we have a steadfast commitment to quality and excellence in everything we do—a commitment reflected in the continued success of our clients across the globe.

We are committed to recruiting, retaining, developing and promoting the best legal talent. Accordingly, the total compensation package— base salary, bonus and benefits —for all lawyers at the firm is highly competitive with that of other major law firms.

WilmerHale is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Intellectual Property Associate Attorney to join our thriving IP practice. This position offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge patent prosecution and litigation matters with a team of experienced attorneys. This role can be based in our Boston, Denver, New York, San Francisco, Palo Alto or Washington, DC office. Please submit your law school, undergraduate and graduate school transcripts.

About the Role:

The successful candidate will have 2-4 years of post-JD experience with a strong focus on both patent prosecution and IP litigation. You will work closely with partners and other associates on a wide range of matters, including:

Patent Prosecution:

  • Drafting and prosecuting patent applications before the USPTO.

  • Developing and managing strategic IP portfolios for clients.

  • Providing mentorship and training to junior associates.

Intellectual Property Litigation/Disputes:

  • Conducting pre-litigation diligence

  • Drafting pleadings, conducting legal research, and preparing expert witnesses.

  • Experience with post-grant proceedings, such as inter partes reviews and post-grant reviews is preferred.

  • Experience in taking and defending depositions is a plus.

Qualifications:

  • Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or Computer Engineering required with preference for Graduate Degree or industry experience in these disciplines.

  • 2-4 years of post-JD experience in both patent prosecution and IP litigation.

  • Admission to practice before the USPTO.

  • Must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in the state/jurisdiction in which the position is based (MA, NY, CA or DC).

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

  • Ability to work effectively both independently and aspart of a collaborative team.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to compliance with all applicable laws prohibiting employment discrimination. It is our policy to take all employment actions and make all employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, citizenship status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, disability, military status, status as a disabled or other protected veteran, or any other protected status under applicable law. WilmerHale will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and otherwise as required by applicable law.

For more information about Equal Employment Opportunity, please click here .

Interview Prep

AI-powered insights to help you prepare

Key Skills

Required:
Preferred:

Practice Questions

💡Technical Questions (3)
  • 1.Walk me through your approach to drafting and prosecuting a patent application for a complex software or electrical engineering invention before the USPTO.
  • 2.How do you approach conducting pre-litigation diligence for a potential patent dispute involving computer science or electrical engineering technologies?
  • 3.Can you explain your experience with post-grant proceedings, such as inter partes reviews or post-grant reviews, and how your technical background helps you in these matters?
🎯Behavioral Questions (3)
  • 1.Tell me about a time you had to explain a complex technical concept related to electrical engineering or computer science to a non-technical audience, such as a judge, jury, or client.
  • 2.Describe a situation where you had to balance competing deadlines for patent prosecution and IP litigation matters. How did you manage your time and deliver quality work?
  • 3.Give me an example of a time you provided mentorship or training to a junior associate or law student on a patent or IP matter.
🧩Situational Questions (2)
  • 1.You are working on a patent application for a key client and discover prior art that the inventor failed to disclose, which threatens the core claims. What do you do?
  • 2.A partner asks you to prepare an expert witness for a deposition in an IP dispute, but you realize the expert's technical methodology has a significant flaw. How do you handle this?

Resume Keywords

Make sure these keywords appear on your resume

Patent ProsecutionIP LitigationUSPTOElectrical EngineeringComputer ScienceInter Partes ReviewPost-Grant ReviewDepositionsExpert Witness PreparationPre-Litigation DiligenceIP Portfolio ManagementClaim Construction

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