Gilead Sciences is seeking a Senior IP Counsel to work in its Foster City, California headquarters. The Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property will join the existing patent litigation team, reporting to the Vice President of Intellectual Property, and will be responsible for the global defense and enforcement of assigned cases within Gilead’s patent portfolio. This responsibility will entail developing and implementing litigation strategy for assigned contested patent matters around the world, potentially managing one or more patent litigation attorneys, and directing the development and implementation of pre-litigation or patent case assessment activities to maximize the strength of Gilead’s patent estate.
The position is a “hands-on” position and will require in depth engagement in existing and future contested patent matters around the world. For example, the position will entail directing and managing patent litigations in the U.S. and foreign countries, and directing and managing global opposition, invalidation and revocation proceedings in various foreign countries. The Senior Counsel, of Intellectual Property may also be called upon to analyze and provide opinions and/or reports from a litigation perspective on due diligence opportunities or other third party patent issues. It is not envisioned that this position will entail drafting and prosecution responsibilities beyond the scope of the oppositions/invalidations, etc responsibilities noted above, but the Senior Counsel, must have significant experience in drafting and prosecution to be able to analyze patents, determine a course of action and advise and implement re-issue, re-examination, opposition, revocation and invalidation strategy around the world. The position will also involve assisting the litigation team and the VP of IP in the design and implementation of departmental policy, processes and procedures relating to contested patent matters.
Essential Duties and Job Functions:
• Briefing the VP of IP and other members of senior management on contested patent matters
• Actively participating in and directing US and local foreign counsel in all litigation matters and ensuring that all litigation action its are met
• Reviewing and providing comments on correspondence, arguments, memos, and briefs in support of litigation
• Directing development of strategy and arguments related to global opposition, invalidation and revocation proceedings
• Actively engaging the litigation team members and demonstrating leadership within the group.
• Preparing comprehensive patent portfolio summary documents and conducting patent portfolio reviews
• As needed, supporting IP due diligence analysis and providing opinions or reports for in-licensing and acquisition opportunities in a variety of therapeutic areas; and
• Overseeing internal document collection and production in patent cases as needed
Knowledge, Experience and Skills:
• Bachelors degree in chemistry, biology, or related field
• Juris Doctorate and admission to at least one State Bar, preferably CA
• USPTO Registration
• Minimum 12 years of relevant experience which will include a broad range of activities including Pharma patent litigation, patent drafting and prosecution, due diligence, and opinion work.
o Minimum 4 years in private practice and 6 years of ANDA patent litigation experience is required.
o Strong preference will be given to candidates having 4+ years of in-house Pharma experience and in particular candidates who have experience directing ANDA patent litigation as in-house counsel in the pharma industry
• People management experience
Skills and Behaviors:
• Necessary qualities for this position include a sense of urgency, ownership, responsibility and pride in the quality of work and the litigation group
• This position requires demonstration of Gilead’s core values: Teamwork, Accountability, Excellence and Integrity
• Energetic self-starter with the ability to independently identify needs, issues, risks, goals and solutions in a fast-paced and highly demanding environment
• Exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills, including the ability to demonstrate confidence in making difficult decisions
• The ability to work collaboratively and effectively in team environment with a variety of different personalities is critical
• Exceptional management skills including the ability to recruit, retain, motivate and develop high performing employees is expected
• Proficiency at applying legal analysis in a business context and assist clients in alternative solutions and problem-solving is expected
• The ability to manage and prioritize multiple matters simultaneously and to respond to rapidly shifting priorities in ambiguous or challenging situations
• Exceptional written and oral presentation and communication skills including the ability to write and speak clearly and concisely
• Excellent organizational skills
• The candidate must be proficient in MS Office-based applications.
• Travel Requirements: Business trips within the U.S. and occasionally abroad, common in litigation roles will be required, typically not exceeding 30% annually.
Contact:
We are an equal opportunity employer. Apply online today by visiting this link: https://www.gilead.apply2jobs.com/ProfExt/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=10031&CurrentPage=1.
Additional Info:
Employer Type: Large Corporation
Job Location: Foster City, California
Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need. The company's mission is to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide. Headquartered in Foster City, California, Gilead has operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
