Research Specialist

Overview

Harbor is seeking a Research Specialist in its Library and Research Department to deliver high-quality legal research and retrieval services in support of law firm clients, with a particular emphasis on intellectual property research.

What you'll do

• Conduct in-depth legal, business, and other research and reference work, using both legal and non-legal information resources.
• Perform effective reference interviews and synthesize findings into clear, concise, and actionable reports.
• Evaluate diverse information sources for currency, reliability, relevance, and cost-effectiveness, and select the most appropriate tools and databases to meet research needs.
• Maintain expertise across a broad range of legal, business, legislative, analytics, and docket resources, including Lexis, Westlaw, Bloomberg Law, PACER, WK VitalLaw, and Lex Machina.
• Utilize request tracking software to manage, process, and document research tasks efficiently and accurately.
• Stay abreast of developments in the legal research field through continued professional development, including active participation in library associations and related activities.

What you'll need

• MLS (Master of Library Science) or equivalent experience in legal research within a law firm, academic law library, special library, or research center.
• 5-7 years of professional research experience in a private law firm, academic law library, special library, or research-focused organization.
• Strong working knowledge of legal and business information sources, including online database searching, legal research techniques, and business intelligence gathering.
• Demonstrated experience using Lexis, Westlaw, and other core legal research platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in IP research.
• Familiarity with a range of specialized IP tools, including Darts-IP, LexisNexis TotalPatent One, Derwent Innovation, USPTO databases, Saegis, and other IP resources.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple deadlines while maintaining responsiveness and attention to detail.
• Excellent client service orientation combined with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly organized with effective time management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a service-oriented team environment.

Nice to have

• J.D.
• Knowledge of global IP filings, prosecution histories, and litigation analytics.

Details

• Full-time, fully remote position open to candidates based anywhere in the United States.