Sr. IP Counsel Chemistry / Small Molecule

At least 10 years of in-house and/or law firm patent experience related to small molecule drugs
Registered to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office
A graduate degree in organic chemistry or an allied chemistry discipline required, Ph.D. preferred; and a Juris Doctorate and admission to practice law in a US state or the District of Columbia required
A broad range of patent-related legal expertise required, including patent preparation, both U.S. and foreign prosecution, IP due diligence, strategic counseling and management of contentious IP matters with a particular emphasis on small molecule therapies and other pharmaceutical subject matter
Exceptional communication skills, including presentation, interpersonal interactions, written work and conflict resolution with an ability to effectively interact with Neurocrine team members at every level in the organization and across a wide range of scientific knowledge levels
Ability to independently oversee legal matters, build and manage a small team of patent professionals (when and if needed), manage the use of outside legal counsel and work collaboratively with other personnel at Neurocrine
Ability to set aggressive deadlines, handle multiple complex legal matters and see projects through to conclusion

Identification of inventions, patent drafting, and prosecution relating to small molecule pharmaceuticals
Conducting strategic IP analysis and due diligence on the patent portfolios of Neurocrine’s competitors and potential collaborators for patentability and freedom-to-operate
Identifying opportunities for expanding Neurocrine’s IP position in collaboration with members of various discovery, development and business groups within Neurocrine
Working and communicating with collaborators and other external strategic partners in connection with developing a global IP strategy
Reviewing and negotiating license agreements and IP-related clauses in other agreements
Manage ANDA litigation and other IP-related contentious matters
Managing the use of outside legal counsel globally
Other duties assigned as required

Industrial or academic scientific experience in small molecule therapeutics discovery, development, and/or manufacturing preferred, but not required
Experience with managing small molecule pharmaceutical exclusivity related legal matters including brand-on-brand patent litigation strategies and the aspects of regulatory affairs related to market exclusivity is preferred but not required
Experience with Orange Book and Patent Term Extension practice for the US and SPC practice for Europe is preferred but not required