Director, Intellectual Property

Role Summary

Director, Intellectual Property will join the global intellectual property group within Bausch Health's legal team, located in Bridgewater, NJ. The candidate will support various aspects of the Bausch Health IP group, with a primary focus on developing and cultivating key aspects of Bausch Health's patent portfolio and ensuring the protection of new innovations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the preparation, filing, and prosecution of Bausch Health patent applications in various jurisdictions with a primary focus on Solta Medical (an affiliate of Bausch Health), which is a global leader in energy-based, aesthetic medical devices. Involves the marshalling of internal resources and directing domestic and international external counsel.
• Support management of the patent prosecution and maintenance budget, including forecasting and optimizing costs associated with external counsel.
• Collaborate with R&D, medical affairs, and other business stakeholders to identify and protect key innovations.
• Collaborate with our business development teams to support IP diligence for new opportunities and alliances. Advise on freedom-to-operate, patentability, and enforcement.
• Support Bausch Health IP litigation efforts in collaboration with external counsel.
• Counsel business clients on IP related issues as they may arise.

Qualifications

• Required: JD degree; licensed to practice in at least one state; admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, or similar technical degree. Preferred: MS or PhD.
• Required: Minimum 3 years practicing patent law (law firm experience preferred) in the medical device, chemical, and/or pharmaceutical field.
• Required: Demonstrated ability to think strategically about the preparation, development, and management of a patent portfolio in relation to a company's products/pipeline.
• Required: Demonstrated ability to correlate IP strategy to the achievement of a stated business objective.
• Required: Demonstrated ability to present complex legal or technical issues in a direct and simple manner.
• Required: Experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications, both domestic and international.
• Required: Experience providing IP support and diligence for M&A transactions and licensing.
• Required: Experience negotiating and drafting IP agreements.
• Required: Experience generating and reviewing opinions relating to patent infringement, validity, and enforceability.
• Preferred: Experience preparing and prosecuting trademark registration applications is preferred, though not required.
• Required: Experience working well with, and relating to, company personnel at all levels is required. Experience working with senior management/C-suite is preferred.

Skills

• Strategic IP portfolio development and management
• Cross-functional collaboration with R&D, medical affairs, and business teams
• IP diligence for transactions and alliances
• Patent drafting and prosecution (domestic and international)
• IP litigation support and contract negotiations