Sr. Counsel, Intellectual Property

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

     

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The Opportunity

This position works out of our location in Santa Clara, CA, in the Vascular (AV) unit of our Medical Devices division. The position will focus primarily on Abbott’s product lines for the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease as well as related digital solutions.  The position may also serve other Abbott business units on occasion.   

As the Sr. Counsel, Intellectual Property, you’ll have the chance to strategically develop our worldwide patent portfolio, including directing and managing domestic and foreign outside counsel to prepare and prosecute patent applications.

 

What You’ll Work On

·       Manage invention disclosures, including collecting and screening disclosures, conducting inventor interviews, presenting disclosures at patent committee and Invention Review Board meetings.

·       Participate in the effective management of our external budget, including monthly, quarterly and annual budget reviews, quarterly forecasting, and reviewing outside counsel invoices.

·       Conduct due diligence on potential mergers and acquisitions and freedom-to-operate assessments that drive strategic acquisitions and product development.

·       Conduct in-depth analyses of competitor products and IP portfolios.

·       Review outside counsel work to ensure the work, methodology, strategy and costs meet Abbott’s expectations.

·       Collaborate with cross-functional teams and counsel a variety of clients on IP and other legal issues.

·       Interact with and provide legal and strategic guidance to senior management, engineers and other functional organizational leadership.

·       Collaborate with commercial legal counsel, including preparing and reviewing research and development agreements, confidentiality agreements, license agreements, and consulting agreements and counseling the business regarding IP transactional matters.

·       Assist internal and external litigation counsel on IP litigation matters.

·       May supervise exempt or non-exempt employees, and manage employee career counseling, performance evaluation and other issues if required.

·       Conduct employee training sessions on the protection of innovations through the patent process, best practices for maintaining confidential business information, contractor and vendor matters, and the overall development of intellectual property assets.

·       Provide counseling and strategy options on marketing and promotional materials.

·       Occasional domestic or foreign travel.

 

Required Qualifications

·       Juris Doctor from accredited law school and admitted to a US state bar in good standing.

·       USPTO registration in good standing.

·       Strong academic background.

·       BS in engineering (mechanical, chemical or biomedical).

·       Minimum of 10 years working as a patent attorney and counseling clients on intellectual property issues. 

·       The successful candidate must have experience drafting and prosecuting mechanical and/or electro-mechanical, patent applications as well as conducting agreement review and negotiations.<