Copyright Paralegal

Benefits:

• Company parties
• Employee discounts
• Flexible schedule

BE WICKED INC. – Commerce, CA
Full-Time or Part-Time | In-Office

About BE WICKED

BE WICKED INC. is a growing U.S.-based manufacturer and wholesale company specializing in women's intimate apparel, lingerie, swimwear, shapewear, bra accessories, hosiery, body stockings, robes, and related fashion products.

As our company continues to grow and develop new products and designs, we are looking for an experienced Copyright & Intellectual Property Paralegal to help us build and manage a strong intellectual property protection program for the company.

About the Position

This is not a general entry-level paralegal position.

We are specifically looking for someone who has hands-on experience with U.S. copyright law, copyright registrations, product and design protection, intellectual property documentation, and copyright infringement matters.

The person in this position will work closely with BE WICKED management and our outside attorneys to identify and protect the company's original creative work, designs, photographs, artwork, packaging, marketing materials, and other intellectual property.

A major responsibility will be helping BE WICKED establish an organized system to identify what can and should be protected, properly document ownership and creation, register qualifying works, and maintain records that can be used if infringement occurs.

Key Responsibilities

• Review BE WICKED's existing product lines and creative assets to identify works that may qualify for copyright protection.
• Assist with copyright registration strategy and preparation of applications with the U.S. Copyright Office.
• Maintain an organized database of BE WICKED copyright registrations, applications, designs, photographs, artwork, and supporting documentation.
• Help document when and how original designs and creative works were created.
• Organize original design files, sketches, photographs, product development records, packaging artwork, catalogs, marketing materials, and other evidence of ownership.
• Research copyright ownership and infringement issues.
• Monitor the marketplace and competitors for potential unauthorized copying of BE WICKED designs, images, artwork, packaging, and other protected materials.
• Collect and organize evidence of potential infringement, including screenshots, product comparisons, dates, URLs, advertisements, sales listings, and other relevant information.
• Assist outside counsel with copyright infringement matters, demand letters, cease-and-desist matters, litigation preparation, discovery, and other legal proceedings when necessary.
• Conduct legal and copyright research and prepare summaries for management and attorneys.
• Assist with intellectual property agreements, assignments, releases, and ownership documentation when needed.
• Help review agreements with designers, photographers, freelancers, manufacturers, vendors, and other third parties to make sure BE WICKED's ownership rights are properly documented.
• Work with management, design, marketing, merchandising, and product development teams to establish better procedures for protecting new creative work.
• Help develop and maintain a long-term intellectual property protection and enforcement system for BE WICKED.

Required Qualifications

Required – please do not apply without meaningful copyright/IP experience.

• Minimum 3 years of professional paralegal experience with significant hands-on experience in copyright and intellectual property matters.
• Strong hands-on experience with U.S. copyright law and copyright registration procedures.
• Experience working with the U.S. Copyright Office.
• Experience researching and evaluating potential copyright infringement.
• Experience assisting attorneys with copyright or intellectual property disputes is strongly preferred.
• Experience with product designs, fashion, apparel, photography, artwork, graphics, packaging, or other creative works is highly desirable.
• Strong legal research, documentation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to independently manage a large number of intellectual property records, registrations, and deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work professionally with company management, outside attorneys, designers, and other departments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, document management systems, and online legal research tools.

Strongly Preferred Experience

Candidates will receive strong consideration if they have experience with:

• Copyright registration portfolios
• Copyright infringement claims
• Copyright litigation support
• Cease-and-desist letters
• Intellectual property investigations
• Product/design copying disputes
• Fashion or apparel intellectual property
• Product photography and creative-content protection
• Packaging and graphic design protection
• Trademark and trade-dress issues
• Working directly with intellectual property attorneys
• Preparing evidence and documentation for litigation
• International intellectual property issues, particularly involving manufacturing and sourcing

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who already understands copyright and intellectual property and can bring real experience to BE WICKED.

This person should be able to review a product, design, photograph, graphic, package, or other creative work and understand the importance of documenting ownership, determining the appropriate protection, and maintaining the records necessary to enforce those rights.

We are not looking for someone who wants to learn copyright from the beginning. We want an experienced professional who can become an important part of building BE WICKED's intellectual property protection program.

Position Type

Full-Time or Part-Time | In-Office

We are open to either a full-time or part-time arrangement depending on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and availability.

Important – Please Read Before Applying

Please do not apply if you do not have at least 3 years of professional paralegal experience and meaningful hands-on experience with copyrights and intellectual property.

Applicants with only general administrative, litigation, family law, personal injury, real estate, immigration, or other unrelated paralegal experience without meaningful copyright/IP experience will not be considered.

When applying, please provide specific details about your copyright and intellectual property experience, including the types of copyright matters, registrations, infringement matters, or design-related cases you have worked on.

Why Join BE WICKED?

This is an opportunity to take an important role in building a long-term intellectual property protection program for a growing fashion and apparel company.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work directly with company management and outside legal counsel and play an important role in protecting BE WICKED's original designs, creative work, product photography, packaging, marketing materials, and other intellectual property.

BE WICKED INC. is an equal opportunity employer.