Associate General Counsel-IP Due Diligence

Associate General Counsel, IP Due DiligenceAbbVie is searching for an in-house Associate General Counsel for our IP Due Diligence group, part of AbbVie's Intellectual Property, Transactions, and Innovation legal team. This position will support AbbVie's business development activities, including mergers and acquisitions, licensing deals, option agreements, and venture transactions, and will be based in our offices in North Chicago, IL, Waltham, MA, South San Francisco, CA, or Irvine, CA with a hybrid work model (on site 3+ days/week).Acting individually and in cross-functional teams, the Associate General Counsel will lead and execute IP due diligence for business development transactions, assess intellectual property risk and opportunity across AbbVie's pipeline and target portfolios, and provide strategic IP counsel in support of AbbVie's M&A, licensing, option, and venture activities.Responsibilities:Lead and execute comprehensive IP due diligence for M&A, licensing, option, and venture transactions, assessing patent coverage, freedom-to-operate, validity, enforceability, and competitive landscapeProvide legal advice and counsel to cross-functional business development, R&D, and commercial teams on IP matters arising in the context of transactions and strategic partnershipsAnalyze and assess third-party patent portfolios and competitive landscapes, including claim scope, prosecution history, litigation exposure, and conduct patent landscaping across counterparty portfolios or various mechanisms-of-action to identify strategic risks, white-space opportunities, and competitive intelligence insights in support of transaction structuring and risk mitigationPrepare and present clear, actionable due diligence reports and risk assessments to senior legal, business, and scientific stakeholdersPartner with external counsel and internal scientific teams to conduct prior art searches, validity assessments, and freedom-to-operate analyses in support of transaction due diligenceLead and support negotiations in connection with licensing, M&A, option, and venture transactions, working closely with business development and legal colleaguesBuild and manage productive relationships with science, evaluation, and business development teams to ensure IP considerations are integrated throughout the deal lifecycleInteract regularly with IP team leadership to provide updates on transaction diligence activities, escalate key risks, and align on IP strategyParticipate in technology assessment and cross-functional teams supporting R&D external opportunity diligence, evaluating the IP implications of in-licensing, co-development, and acquisition targetsSupport and, where appropriate, manage patent prosecution activities across a range of modalities, including complex and simple biologics, peptides, small molecule pharmaceuticals, or device-related inventions, coordinating with outside counsel and internal R&D teams to develop and execute prosecution strategies aligned with business objectivesQualificationsJD degree from an accredited law school, active state bar admission enabling in-house practice (specific state not required), and registration to practice before the USPTO as a patent attorney~8 years of experience practicing patent law as a patent attorney at a law firm and/or life sciences company, with substantial experience conducting IP due diligence in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology contextPrior due diligence experience in simple biologics, complex biologics, peptides, and other small molecule pharmaceuticalsExperience with biosimilars or generics portfoliosTechnical background relevant for pharmaceutical IP due diligence, such as:Experience with small molecule and/or biological pharmaceutical discovery & development, and/orTechnical degree in a relevant field, such as molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, or biomedical engineeringStrong legal, analytical, communication, collaboration, and people skillsDemonstrated ability to manage complex projects to meet deadlinesPreferred Qualifications:Prior pharma or biotech due diligence experience in M&A, licensing, or option deal transactionsExperience with biosimilars or generic pharmaceutical patent portfoliosExperience advising on venture transactions or strategic collaborations with IP componentsThe compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: Fraud AlertWe have recently become aware of various recruitment phishing scams targeting job seekers. Please be advised:AbbVie will never request sensitive personal information (such as bank account details, social security numbers, or payment of any kind) during the recruitment process.If you suspect you have received a fraudulent offer or communication claiming to be from AbbVie, please do not respond, open any attachments, or click on any hyperlinks.If you have any questions or concerns regarding the authenticity of a communication alleged to have been made by or on behalf of AbbVie, please contact us immediately.Protect yourself by verifying job offers and communications. Your safety is important to us.Pay Range: $182000 - 346000 USDWhere We WorkRole is primarily site- or office-based but can occasionally be performed remotely. Employees who are site/office-based and can occasionally perform their role virtually work both in the office and remotely*, following the policies and regulations in place at their location. US Employees must be in the office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with flexibility to work remotely on Mondays and Fridays. Three days in the office is the minimum; some individuals or teams may require more in-office days due to meetings, business/project needs or their role.