Associate VP-Assistant General Patent Counsel IP Procurement – Key Assets:

BioSpace; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 230,000 - 372,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonus

401(k) plan

Pension

Medical benefits

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Lilly is seeking an experienced patent attorney to provide strategic IP counselling for pharmaceutical development and commercialization. You will collaborate with the Legal Patent team, project teams, and executive leadership, managing key assets with responsibility and independence.

The role reports to the Associate Vice President – IP Procurement and Strategy and requires a strong background in patent prosecution and freedom-to-operate analyses across global jurisdictions.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited US institution.
• At least ten years of post-JD experience as a practicing patent attorney in a law firm or industry, with pharmaceutical asset strategies and patent prosecution.
• US bar admission and USPTO representation in patent matters in good standing.
• Science background for communicating with scientists about discovery, development, and commercialization of pharma products.

Responsibilities

• Develop global patent strategies for pharmaceutical assets, including filing strategies, drafting and prosecuting patent applications, and FTO assessments.
• Advise on exclusivity, patentability, freedom to operate, and risks with clear communication to leadership.
• Lead with continuous improvement; stay current on laws, precedents, and regulations relevant to pharma products.
• Prioritize, lead, and manage projects; contribute to policy improvements and team collaboration.

Skills

patent strategy

leadership

stakeholder management

pharma IP experience

communication

problem solving

multitasking

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Science degree

Job description

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us.

Role Overview

Lilly is seeking an experienced and strategic patent attorney focused on providing solution-oriented advice and counselling for IP issues facing Lilly in development, commercialization, and discovery of pharmaceutical products. This position requires close collaboration with other members of the Lilly Legal Patent team, project teams and business leadership. Individual must be energized by working in a dynamic environment with substantial responsibility for key assets. This position reports to the Associate Vice President – IP Procurement and Strategy.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive global patent strategies for key pharmaceutical assets, including developing patent application filing strategies covering innovations from discovery, clinical development, manufacturing and beyond, drafting and prosecuting patent applications in all jurisdictions, and assessing freedom to operate.
• Proactively analyze IP risks and develop sound strategic and tactical approaches/solutions with appropriate consideration of business objectives and competitive environment.
• Advise teams and senior management about exclusivity, patentability, freedom to operate, and risks in a manner consistent with the law, ethics, and Lilly policies; communicate advice in a clear and concise manner.
• Lead with a continuous improvement mindset by remaining well versed in global laws, court precedents, and regulations pertinent to pharmaceutical products; apply knowledge appropriately in carrying out individual responsibilities as well as identifying opportunities within the team and organization.
• Prioritize, lead, and manage projects; contribute to the implementation of new policies and procedures; lead task-directed teams.
• Contribute to efficiency, collegiality, and collaboration.

Basic Qualifications

• Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree from an accredited U.S. institution.
• At least ten years of post-JD experience as a practicing patent attorney in a law firm or industry, with significant experience developing comprehensive patent strategies for pharmaceutical assets and significant patent prosecution experience. Experience with patent enforcement a plus.
• Presently admitted to practice law in at least one US jurisdiction and presently licensed to represent clients in patent matters before the USPTO; in good standing in each state and in the USPTO; no discipline issues on record.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a scientific field that, together with prior work experience, provides essential background for effective communication with scientists and management about the scientific aspects of discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of pharmaceutical products, including small molecules, peptides, antibodies, conjugates, and genetic medicines.
• Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States. Lilly does not anticipate providing sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B or TN status) for this employment position.

Additional Skills/Preferences

• Highly motivated and collaborative partner with the ability to work effectively with team members and members of management across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated leadership and effectiveness in working with senior leadership. Ability to establish strong relationships with business partners and with research and development teams to further IP strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Experience in the pharmaceutical industry in a scientific position in drug discovery or development, or demonstrated significant experience with and knowledge of drug discovery and development, and/or with patent litigation relating to pharmaceutical products.
• High learning agility; creative problem solver; ability to deal with complexity and make the complex understandable; high curiosity; continuous improvement of self and Lilly; accepting and leading change; agility to adapt and evolve.
• Ability to influence and lead boldly in a dynamic environment.
• Exceptional patent law acumen.
• Ability to organize, effectively work on and prioritize multiple complex projects simultaneously to meet project deadlines on time.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.

The anticipated wage for this position is $229,500 - $371,800

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance).

In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including

• eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k)
• pension
• vacation benefits
• eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits
• flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts)
• life insurance and death benefits
• certain time off and leave of absence benefits
• well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities)

Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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