Patent Counsel, Biologics - Global Intellectual Property

The attorney will advise on a wide range of intellectual property matters, including patent preparation and prosecution, worldwide patent portfolio management, overall IP strategy including loss-of-exclusivity (LOE) strategies, PTE/SPC strategies, patentability assessments, and freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses including risk mitigation strategies.

Main Responsibilities

• Prepare, draft, file, and prosecute US, EPO, and foreign patent applications across biotechnology and biologics areas.
• Interact with internal clients including Research & Development, Project Management, Business Development, Franchise, CMC, and Industrial Affairs in the US and Europe on a regular basis, providing proactive IP counselling and soliciting invention disclosures.
• Proactively advise clients on IP strategy aligned with business objectives, including portfolio positioning and competitive landscape, preferably using AI-enhanced portfolio analytics, competitive intelligence, and predictive modeling, and translating complex data into actionable business recommendations.
• Provide patentability evaluations of IP related to internal research programs and external business development opportunities.
• Conduct, direct, and analyze patent searches; render written opinions on validity, non-infringement, and freedom-to-operate / design-around of third-party patents.
• Initiate, defend, and manage post-issuance proceedings, including US Inter Partes Review (IPR), Post-Grant Review (PGR), EPO Oppositions, and patent litigation support.
• Review proposed research papers and other publications for potential impact on Sanofi's existing patent estate.
• Participate in the drafting, reviewing, and negotiation of agreements covering intellectual property rights (licenses, CDAs, collaboration agreements, etc.)
• Leverage AI tools strategically across the full patent lifecycle including AI-assisted drafting, claim analysis, prior art searching, office action response preparation, and portfolio analytics while maintaining critical oversight, professional judgment, and work product quality control.
• Critically review and validate all AI-generated work products to ensure technical accuracy, legal soundness, strategic alignment, and freedom from hallucinations or analytical errors before client delivery or filing.
• Direct AI-assisted workflows for patent prosecution streams, configuring AI tools to execute within defined strategic parameters while maintaining appropriate human oversight for privilege, risk management, and client accountability.
• Develop custom AI tools and workflows to address emerging needs in patent prosecution, IP strategy, or portfolio management including prompt engineering, automation of routine analysis, and creation of bespoke intelligence tools (e.g., examiner behavior analysis, art unit trend mapping) without waiting for vendor or IT solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for AI augmentation of IP processes, pilot new AI capabilities, and share best practices for responsible and effective AI integration across the Global IP organization.
• Maintain professional accountability and licensed judgment as the human decision-maker in all AI-augmented work, ensuring that AI serves as a force multiplier for strategic thinking rather than a substitute for legal expertise or client counseling.
• Serve as a thought leader within the Global IP team on responsible AI adoption, sharing insights on effective AI integration, emerging risks, and evolving best practices for AI-augmented patent practice.
• Develop and maintain an effective professional network within Sanofi's Biologics Business Units and Global IP group.

Basic Qualifications

• Graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in biological or biochemical science; a Ph.D. is strongly preferred.
• A motivated, self-starting professional who takes initiative and contributes to the team beyond the scope of assigned projects.
• Registered US Patent Attorney and member of at least one US State Bar, and/or qualified European Patent Attorney (having passed the EQE) or equivalent qualification in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Minimum 3-5 years of patent law experience, gained in-house at a biopharmaceutical or biotechnology company and/or at a law firm with life sciences practice.
• Confirmed, hands-on experience handling complex biologics IP matters, including therapeutic biological molecules such as monoclonal antibodies, multi-specific antibodies, NNANOBODY® molecules, peptides, nucleic acids, cytokines, and/or enzymes.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage the preparation and prosecution of patent applications from drafting through grant.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to convey complex IP concepts clearly to both legal and non-legal audiences.
• Proven ability to work effectively within a global, cross-functional team and to build relationships across geographies and disciplines.
• Demonstrated AI fluency in a legal or technical professional context, including hands-on experience using AI tools for patent drafting, prosecution, or IP analysis.
• Proven ability to assess AI-assisted work products, with the critical judgment to evaluate, verify, and challenge AI-generated outputs, including identifying errors, hallucinations, or analytical gaps in AI-generated responses, claim drafts, or prior art analyses.
• Comfort operating in a technology-forward work environment, with a disposition to continuously adopt, evaluate, and integrate emerging AI tools into daily practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in biological or biochemical science.
• Experience managing EPO Oppositions, US IPR/PGR proceedings, and/or patent litigation.
• Prior in-house experience at a biotech or biopharma company.
• Familiarity with French, German, and/or Dutch (Flemish) is an asset.
• Experience with IP aspects of licensing, M&A due diligence, or business development transactions.
• Experience with biologics platform technologies, including antibody formats, gene therapy, bioprocesses, formulations, and/or drug-device combinations.
• Solid foundational knowledge of chemistry as it relates to biologics and biochemistry.
• Ability to orchestrate and direct AI-assisted workflows across concurrent prosecution streams, including configuring AI tools to execute within a defined strategic framework while maintaining appropriate human oversight and privilege considerations, and managing AI agents and human collaborators to deliver high-quality IP outcomes at scale while adapting in real-time to unexpected developments.
• Experience or demonstrated aptitude for building or customizing lightweight AI tools or workflows (e.g., prompt engineering, no-code/low-code automation, or custom GPT configurations) to address gaps in patent prosecution or IP analysis workflows without reliance on IT or vendor support.