Patent Attorney — Life Sciences & Chemistry (Ph.D.)

Hylton-Rodic Law; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 140,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Hylton-Rodic Law in Washington, DC seeks a Ph.D.-trained patent attorney in life sciences or chemistry to join our growing IP boutique. The role emphasizes ownership, rigorous feedback, and meaningful responsibility for sophisticated patent prosecution.

The candidate should have a relevant Ph.D., a J.D., USPTO registration, active US bar, and about 1–2+ years of substantive patent prosecution experience. The position is primarily in person in Adams Morgan, DC.

Qualifications

• Must have a relevant Ph.D., J.D., USPTO registration, active U.S. bar membership, and approximately 1–2+ years of substantive patent prosecution experience.

Skills

Patent prosecution

Education

Ph.D. in Life Sciences or Chemistry

J.D.

Job description

You earned the Ph.D. You became a lawyer. You chose patent law.

So here's a more interesting question:

What kind of patent lawyer do you want to become?

At Hylton-Rodic Law, we're looking for a Ph.D.-trained patent attorney in life sciences or chemistry who's ready to explore that question with us.

We're looking for an ambitious, early-career patent attorney who wants more than the next rung on a predetermined associate ladder. Someone who loves difficult science, wants meaningful responsibility, welcomes rigorous feedback, and is serious about becoming exceptionally good at this profession.

We're a growing intellectual property boutique with sophisticated clients, high standards, and a distinctly human approach to building a law firm.

What makes HRL different?

• Sophisticated work: Life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and chemistry patent prosecution.
• Meaningful growth: Increasing responsibility, ownership, and autonomy as your competence and judgment develop.
• A different kind of workplace: A close-knit, collaborative team where your contributions matter, your ideas are welcome, and you can help shape what comes next.
• A sustainable pace: Approximately 1,700 billed hours annually as our standard expectation, with flexibility to pursue greater production and compensation.

Your Career. Your Accelerator.

Our base salary is $140,000–$165,000, with performance-based compensation that can provide $75,000+ in additional annual cash compensation for exceptional production and performance.

We believe excellent legal work sometimes demands intensity. But we don't confuse long hours with excellence or believe that being visibly busy is the same as delivering results.

High standards. Real opportunity. A workplace built for people.

We're seeking candidates with a relevant Ph.D., J.D., USPTO registration, active U.S. bar membership, and approximately 1–2+ years of substantive patent prosecution experience.

The role is primarily in person in Adams Morgan, Washington, DC, by design.

We're established enough to know who we are—and ambitious enough to keep getting better.