MARLENE E. SMITH
2864 Oslo Crescent, Mississauga, ON L5N 1Z9
marlene.e.smith@gmail.com
HOME: 905-814-6128
CELL: 416-453-1388
PROFILE
Senior Legal Assistant with special expertise in Intellectual Property, particularly pertaining to mechanical, chemical,
pharmaceutical and biotechnical patents; trade-marks and industrial designs. Currently seeking to transfer this skill set as a
legal assistant in an intellectual property firm or law firm with an intellectual property group, or a legal assistant in a law firm,
where it will provide both immediate and ongoing value.
ACHIEVEMENTS
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15+ years experience in the intellectual property legal office environment
Developed a strong reputation of reducing unbillable time by acute attention to detail
Improved efficiency in handling trade-mark matters by organizing backlogged pending trade-mark files and devised
and implemented file maintenance system
Achieved increased office efficiency by training secretarial staff and professionals in proficient utilization of IP4
software in generating Daily/Monthly Due Date Lists
Reduced docketing time by creating a template showing features of program pull-down menus
Primary trainer and mentor for new employees
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
LEGAL ASSISTANT (INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY) CONTRACT POSITIONS
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GOWLING LAFLEUR HENDERSON LLP – 3 Months – Trade-mark Assistant
OGILVY RENAULT LLP – 1 Month – Patent Assistant
MCCARTHY TETRAULT LLP – 1 Month – Trade-mark Assistant
CASSELS, BROCK & BLACKWELL LLP
Trade-mark Assistant to Patent/Trade-mark Agent / Secretarial Replacement
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2008-2009
Transcribed dictation of correspondence and documentation for trade-mark applications; liaised with Formalities
Section and Opposition Board at the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) regarding trade-mark
applications and oppositions
Prepared memoranda to files and professionals; produced correspondence to clients and CIPO on trade-mark files
Docketed mail, updated records and maintained due date list in Filemaker Pro
Prepared standard letters relating to trade-mark applications and oppositions
Initiated trade-mark searches with agent in Ottawa; prepared trade-mark search reports including CIPO records of
cited trade-mark applications and registrations
Reviewed, organized and sorted email correspondence for trade-mark files, including labelling and creating new file
folders; updated manual client/matter list for professional’s pending and closed files; closed files for sending to offsite storage; and checked database for accuracy
Performed legal assistant duties as a secretarial replacement throughout the firm’s various departments
BERESKIN & PARR LLP
Legal Assistant, Support Services, Patent & Trade-mark
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2010
2007
Efficient management of work overflow on a high priority basis by performing all legal assistant responsibilities,
namely, digital dictation, transcription, proofreading; photocopying; binding, file and mail management
Transcribing documents including letters, memos, and correspondence or copy-typing handwritten notes
Drafting and preparing correspondence for professionals using precedents
Revising documents as per professionals' mark-ups
Faxing, photocopying and scanning documents and correspondence
Preparing and taking all necessary steps in opening, closing and transferring files, including preparing and
distributing conflict searches
MARLENE E. SMITH – TELEPHONE: 905-814-6128
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Preparing documents for filing Canadian trade mark applications as required
Preparing documents for filing US and Canadian patent applications and design applications when required
Filing of Canadian trade mark applications and US patent applications online as required
Printing and sorting pre-bills (LegalVision)
Other related duties as requested by assistants, professionals and articling students
SIM & MCBURNEY
Assistant to Associate Patent Agent / Patent Floater / Switchboard Relief
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2005-2006
Transcribed dictation of correspondence to clients, associates and CIPO; prepared and filed Canadian patent and
industrial design application responses to Office Actions and required amended pages; reporting letters to
clients/associates; and prepared related documentation
Prepared and filed patent applications in Canada, and national phase entries in Canada, United States and Europe,
and reported to client/associate
Reviewed daily due date list and advised professional
Reviewed patent record sheets from IP4 for accuracy; amended and corrected patent records by completing and
directing forms to IP Services
Docketed professional’s time in Carpe Diem; prepared draft statements in AS400 accounting system and
generated final monthly account statements in MS Word; processed invoices from U.S. and foreign associates
RIDOUT & MAYBEE LLP
Senior Patent/Trade-mark Assistant to Senior Partner
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1994-2004
Prepared patent applications for filing in Canada, U.S. and International (PCT)
Prepared and filed trade-mark and industrial design applications in Canada and U.S.
Prepared responses to Office Actions and required amended pages for CIPO
Attended to foreign renewals
Updated Pattsy records program and professional’s due date list from Pattsy records program
Drafted patent applications from dictation and handwritten notes; making amendments as per professional’s
revisions using track changes
Maintained dockets; prepared pre-bills and billed accounts using LegalVision
Scanning bar coded files to respective professional
Trained new patent secretarial staff
Member of Social Committee (2 years)
Working Member and Secretary of Joint Health and Safety Committee
PART TIME EMPLOYMENT
DR. CARL A. BRADLEY, Child & Youth Psychiatrist – Oakville, Ontario
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Jan 2005 to Present
Freelance administrative assistant services for transcribing dictation of Psychiatric Reports for submission to the
Ontario Court of Justice, Milton, Ontario; making revisions thereto as required by Dr. Bradley; and delivering said
Reports to the Regional Office in Milton, on an ongoing basis
Preparing and issuing my account for services
Preparing Psychiatric Assessment Patient Chart from Dr. Bradley’s handwritten notes
Preparing Dr. Bradley’s Curriculum Vitae
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
Microsoft Suite: Word Advanced, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, WordPerfect Levels 1, 2, 3
PATTSY Docketing and Diary System for maintenance of patent, trade-mark and industrial design records
LegalVision Accounting Program for billing and time entry
Tali Program (attendance, leave and overtime record keeping)
DMS (Document Management System)
Deltaview, Time KM, Webview (Time Docketing)
IP4 Records Program
Filemaker Pro File Management Program
AS400 Accounting Program
Carpe Diem Time Docketing Program
4D/IP Tools/MacWise (LegalVision)/DSS for MAC Computer
MARLENE E. SMITH – TELEPHONE: 905-814-6128
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Workplace Safety & Insurance Board Course:
Joint Health & Safety Committee Member Certification Training - Parts 1 and 2
Typing Speed 100 wpm; Dictaphone and Digital Dictation; Shorthand
EDUCATION
Business & Commerce Secretarial Diploma
Computer Technology Institute: Word Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Courses
Excel Courses, Levels 1 and 2
INTERESTS
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Clarinet Studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music from 1997 to 2004
Participated in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most number of Saxophones (930) playing “Hockey
Night in Canada” at Dundas Square, Toronto, organized by the Shuffle Demons in May, 2004
Music studies, culinary arts, gardening
References available upon request
MARLENE E. SMITH – TELEPHONE: 905-814-6128
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