Pfizer Inc. 
is seeking IP Regional Counsel to support the IP needs of the Emerging Markets Business Unit (EMBU) and serve as lead IP counsel and primary point of contact on IP matters for Emerging Markets Europe and Africa-Middle-East regions. Position is responsible for ensuring regional commercial IP needs are met in a proactive and timely manner and charged with cross fertilization of IP issues and needs with Legal Division colleagues across functions.
Responsibilities:
• Work as a team with Research Unit (RU) and IP enforcement attorneys to ensure seamless management of IP matters in the region
• Expedite prosecution of commercially important patent applications by engaging local patent offices and other government agencies as needed in partnership with legal colleagues in research, emerging markets and policy groups.
• Ensure that commercial teams are aware of the patent portfolio protecting each product marketed or planned to be launched in the region and provide advice on the value and extent of the relevant patent portfolio.
• Provide advice and counseling to EMBU client groups, in collaboration with RU, enforcement and regulatory attorneys, on product lifecycles and LOEs based on patent expirations, data exclusivity, patent linkage and patent term extensions.
• Proactively manage in a centralized fashion individual IP related projects for the region as appropriate.
• Educate centrally on regional patent matters as well as ensure that appropriate education is provided in the markets
• Collaborate closely with IP Policy to: review and comment on pending or proposed legislation; act as a resource for intellectual property laws and legislation in the region; support ongoing issue team efforts; participate in efforts relating to IP public policy; and, promote best practices by local patent offices, including timely and efficient examination and conformity with international patenting standards.
• Support the IP needs of regional and EMBU transactional matters working in collaboration with the Business Development IP team
• Support the EMBU generics business working in collaboration with the Established Products IP team to: identify and provide advice and counseling on IP risks associated with new generic product launches; and, support new generic-related business acquisition and licensing activities.
• Ensure that Pfizer is served by the best quality regional outside patent counsel while attaining budget goals by:
- Monitoring and addressing issues relating to quality of service and billing, as needed
- Negotiating, in collaboration with the IP Finance group, service agreements that fulfill Pfizer Compliance requirements
- Working with the IP Finance group to identify and screen new outside counsel as needed.
Qualifications:
• J.D. or equivalent;
• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant Science or Engineering focus (i.e., Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry), an advanced degree is desirable;
• At least 5 years’ legal experience gained in law firm or corporate setting;
• Experience with preparation and prosecution of patents in the U.S. and Europe as well as non-US/European countries;
• Experience preparing patent non-infringement, invalidity and freedom to operate opinions;
• Self-starter, customer driven focus, excellent team-building, leadership and communication skills;
• A proven ability to provide IP support for the business and to proactively work with commercial business colleagues at all levels, including top country and regional management;
• Ability to travel; and,
• Previous international experience (not necessarily professional) is a plus.
Throughout our 153 years, a legacy of caring for others has been at the heart of everything we do at Pfizer. This commitment is no less important when it comes to our employees. Pfizer wants to ensure that employees have resources to help them develop and succeed both in their careers and personal lives. One way we can achieve this is through our comprehensive benefits program, which offers employees and their eligible dependents the variety and flexibility to help address their needs at different stages in life.
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
All applicants must have authorization to work for Pfizer in the U.S. In certain circumstances it may be advantageous to Pfizer to support the application(s) for temporary visa classification and/or sponsor applications for permanent residence so that a foreign national colleague can accept or remain in a work assignment in the U.S.
For certain classes of temporary visas, the resulting work authorization may be specific to Pfizer and the specific job and/or work site. Pfizer may at its business discretion decide to or refrain from obtaining, maintaining and/or extending the temporary visa status and/or sponsoring a colleague for permanent residency and /or employment eligibility, considering factors such as availability of qualified U.S. workers and the colleague's long-term prospects for securing lawful permanent residence, among other reasons.
Employment applicants requiring immigration sponsorship must disclose, when initial application for employment is made, whether or not they are legally authorized to work for Pfizer in the U.S. and, if so, whether that authorization permits them to work in the job they seek. In no case should Pfizer's support of a colleague's temporary visa application or sponsorship of a colleague for permanent residence be construed to guarantee success of that application or amend or otherwise invalidate the "at-will" employment relationship between the colleague and Pfizer.
Contact:
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Additional Info:
Employer Type: Large Corporation
Job Location: Madison, New Jersey