Patent Counsel

Role Summary

Bristol Myers Squibb is seeking an experienced patent attorney to join our headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, or one of our research centers in Cambridge, MA, or San Diego, CA. The Patent Counsel will provide strategic intellectual property counsel across multiple functional areas, focusing on internal preparation and prosecution of patents, freedom-to-operate analyses, due diligence for business development, and client counseling, in collaboration with in-house and outside attorneys. The role requires close collaboration with business and technical teams to protect BMS innovations and support growth.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and prosecute patent applications, including drafting, filing, and managing responses to office actions on a global level.
• Conduct freedom-to-operate analyses and provide strategic counsel on patentability and infringement issues.
• Manage patent portfolios, including conducting patent landscape analyses and developing patent strategies to protect BMS's innovations.
• Provide due diligence support for business development activities, including evaluating IP portfolios of potential partners and acquisition targets.
• Draft and negotiate license and research collaboration agreements.
• Manage relationships with outside counsel to ensure high-quality and cost-effective legal services.
• Regularly engage with business and technical teams to provide IP-related guidance and support.
• Stay updated on changes in patent laws and regulations and ensure compliance with all relevant legal requirements.

Qualifications

• Registered to practice before the USPTO.
• J.D. degree
• 7-10 years of patent law experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry.
• Excellent analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Service-oriented focus with the ability to work as part of cross-functional teams and drive results.
• Highest integrity, excellent judgment, and the ability to proactively recognize and effectively assess business risk and communicate legal issues to patent, legal, and key stakeholders.

Education

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in chemistry, biochemistry, or pharmaceutical sciences. An advanced degree and/or scientific research experience is preferred.

Additional Requirements

• On-site presence may be required depending on the assigned occupancy type (site-essential, hybrid, or field-based).
• Travel to visit customers, partners, or other stakeholders may be required as directed.