Sr. Counsel, IP

We’re currently seeking a dynamic individual to join our company as Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property. Reporting to the Vice President, Legal, the Senior Counsel will hone and drive Arcus’ global IP strategy. In this position, you will have the opportunity to manage intellectual property matters critical to the company’s success and serve as a trusted advisor to the company’s senior leadership in intellectual property-related matters.

Responsibilities:

• Lead global IP strategy for small and large molecule therapeutics, with a focus on combination therapies
• Draft patent applications for new inventions and manage prosecution of pending patent applications while ensuring that patent filings are of high quality and aligned with the company’s discovery and development efforts
• Maintain knowledge of competitors’ patenting activities, evaluate risks and provide innovative solutions that create business value in a highly competitive and dynamic environment
• Continuously evaluate and refine the company’s IP strategy to ensure alignment with its strategic objectives
• Conduct assessments regarding freedom-to-operate, patentability, infringement and validity matters
• Conduct due diligence to support major business transactions
• Manage outside counsel and other resource utilizations for efficiency and value
• Organize and lead quarterly portfolio review
• Review proposed public disclosures for potential invention disclosures
• Develop and implement procedures to facilitate IP objectives, including education for internal personnel on intellectual property law
• Advise on occasional trademark matters

Qualifications:

• Admission in good standing with the USPTO and any state bar (California preferred).
• 5+ years of IP experience in the life sciences industry as in-house patent counsel and/or in a nationally recognized law firm
• J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school
• Advanced degree in chemistry (strongly preferred) or biology, immunology, oncology or similar field
• Knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent laws and procedures, as well as regulatory matters relevant to the biopharmaceutical industry
• Strong analytical thinking and patent database searching skills
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities, flexible and able to multi-task
• Ability to work well with all levels of management and staff
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written