Patent Attorney

Job responsibilities

• Provide clear, strategic, and business-focused counsel to Novartis R&D clients on invention protection, portfolio development, publication strategy, and third-party risks.
• Build and manage patent portfolios for Novartis R&D projects by identifying inventions and preparing, prosecuting, maintaining, and defending patent filings across areas such as new molecular entities, processes, manufacturing, platforms, technologies, and clinical developments.
• Render legal opinions on patentability, validity, and freedom to operate, and develop patent strategies that strengthen IP positions, support freedom to operate, and enable effective IP defense.
• Apply deep knowledge of national patent law and practice, including relevant legal developments and patent trends, to shape strategy and advice.
• Understand and apply other forms of exclusivity protection, as appropriate.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues and leaders across the legal, IP, and R&D organizations.
• Build and manage relationships with outside counsel and collaborators, including extensive interaction within a multicultural global patent function.
• Conduct due diligence and provide counsel based on those assessments, including freedom-to-operate, infringement, validity, risk evaluation, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Provide IP support for transactional matters, including M&A, research collaborations, and in-licensing opportunities, with advice on contract drafting and negotiation.

Essential requirements

• J.D. degree, admission to at least one state bar, and registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• Advanced degree (Ph.D. strongly preferred) in chemistry or a closely related field (e.g., organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical engineering) and preferably with 1–2 years of exposure to drug discovery and development processes used in pharmaceutical and/or biotechnology companies.
• 7+ years of experience as a qualified patent attorney in a law firm or within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Strong technical expertise in chemistry, preferably including experience with small molecules, synthesis, or pharmaceutical development.
• Expertise in U.S. and PCT patent law, filing processes, and prosecution practice, with a detailed understanding of European patent law and other major global patent systems.
• Strong client-service orientation, with the ability to build and sustain effective partnerships with key stakeholders and project teams.

Desirable requirements

• Strong analytical, presentation, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively.
• Strong research, critical thinking, and decision-making skills, with close attention to detail and a commitment to consistently accurate work.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the flexibility, creativity, and resourcefulness to manage multiple competing priorities successfully.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including partnership building, influence, persuasion, and teamwork.