Patent Counsel
GSK
Summary
Join us as Patent Counsel and bring your legal expertise to a team passionate about advancing healthcare through science and technology. In this role, you will work closely with colleagues across research, development, and commercial teams to protect innovative ideas. As Patent Counsel, you will build and manage patent portfolios and ensure freedom-to-operate for GSK's therapeutics.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
- Independently (with supervision and guidance from other attorneys in the department) build and manage patent portfolios related to cutting-edge pharmaceutical products.
- Draft and prosecute patent applications, including responding to office actions in the U.S., collaborating with patent colleagues in the UK, and working with local agents in non-U.S./non-European jurisdictions.
- Support the larger R&D organization, including client counseling, invention spotting, freedom-to-operate analysis, due diligence analysis and reporting, and identifying non-patent legal or business risks.
- Support the development, implementation, and adoption of AI-enabled tools for R&D and Intellectual Property (IP), including tools that enhance innovation, patent strategy, and IP workflows.
- Partner with Business Development, Legal, R&D, and Alliance Management to support strategic transactions and collaborations, including IP due diligence, deal structuring, negotiation of IP-related agreement provisions, and management of IP matters arising throughout the alliance lifecycle.
- Interact with major areas of the business including commercial, clinical, regulatory, business development, manufacturing and supply, and transactional groups.
- Support U.S. and non-U.S. litigation, oppositions, IPRs, and other judicial and non-judicial proceedings around the world.
Basic Qualifications
- U.S. law degree (juris doctorate) from an accredited law school and admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. state.
- An undergraduate degree in a life science field (e.g., biology, chemistry, pharmacy, or similar) from an accredited institution.
- Admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO bar admission).
- Minimum of 3 years of patent prosecution experience in a law firm or in-house patent department with significant experience drafting, filing, and prosecuting life science patent applications in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions.
- Ability to work at a GSK site in Upper Providence, PA, Durham, NC, or Rockville, MD two to three days per week.
- Ability to accommodate occasional, multi-day business trips (less than 10% of working days).
Preferred Qualifications
- Significant experience drafting patent applications directed to large or small molecule therapeutics (antibodies, chemical compounds, oligonucleotides, vaccines), and related processes, formulations, methods of use and the like.
- Advanced life science degree and/or at least three years of experience working as a biomedical research scientist, medicinal chemist, or similar.
- Experience conducting freedom-to-operate assessments for commercial products or products in development.
- Comfort using, or willingness to incorporate, AI tools and systems to increase workplace efficiency.
- Ability to communicate effectively and confidently with R&D clients, business partners, and senior management.
- Ability to work well with an international, multicultural team located in different jurisdictions and time zones.
Requirements
- U.S. law degree (juris doctorate) from an accredited law school
- Admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. state
- Undergraduate degree in a life science field (e.g., biology, chemistry, pharmacy, or similar)
- Admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO bar admission)
- Minimum of 3 years of patent prosecution experience in a law firm or in-house patent department
- Significant experience drafting, filing, and prosecuting life science patent applications in U.S. and foreign jurisdictions
- Ability to work at a GSK site in Upper Providence, PA, Durham, NC, or Rockville, MD two to three days per week
- Ability to accommodate occasional, multi-day business trips (less than 10% of working days)
Benefits
- Health care
- Insurance benefits
- Retirement benefits
- Paid holidays
- Vacation
- Paid caregiver leave
- Paid parental leave
- Paid medical leave
- Annual bonus
- Share based long term incentive program
Company overview
GSK plc (formerly GlaxoSmithKline) is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company headquartered in London, England. Founded in 2000 through the merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, GSK has grown to become one of the world's leading healthcare companies with operations in over 150 countries. The company specializes in researching, developing, and manufacturing prescription medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. GSK's therapeutic areas include respiratory diseases, HIV/AIDS, oncology, immunology, and infectious diseases. The company is particularly renowned for its vaccine portfolio and has been at the forefront of developing treatments for major global health challenges. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide, GSK maintains a strong commitment to scientific innovation and has a significant presence in key markets including the United States, Europe, and emerging economies. The company's mission is to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade.