Life Sciences Patent Agent

A law firm located in Washington, DC, is seeking a Life Sciences Patent Agent with at least 1 year of experience as a practicing patent agent in the field of life sciences. The candidate will be responsible for protecting inventions with technical merit, providing high-quality legal services to domestic and foreign clients, and engaging in practice development activities.

Duties:

• Prepare, file, and prosecute patent applications before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
• Perform prior art searches and analysis.
• Conduct patentability analysis and intellectual property (IP) due diligence.
• Engage in practice development activities to build and maintain client relationships.
• Prepare substantive client correspondence.
• Instruct local counsel for foreign filings and Office Actions.
• Assist in patent clearance studies and other patent-related opinion projects.
• Apply advanced concepts in any life sciences field, with particular emphasis on molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry.
• Study and analyze scientific or technical documents to assess patentability, novelty, and inventiveness.
• Convert provisional applications into utility applications and foreign filed applications into U.S. applications.

Requirements:

• 1+ years of experience as a practicing patent agent in the field of life sciences.
• Advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.) in Chemistry preferred, or another biological field such as Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Microbiology, or Biomedical Engineering with excellent academic credentials.
• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• Excellent writing and research abilities.
• Proficiency in written and verbal communication.
• Strong organizational skills.

Education and Certifications:

• Advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.) in Chemistry preferred, or another biological field.
• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Skills:

• Proficiency in preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Commitment to providing high-quality legal services.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to build client relationships.

One of DC's most powerful firms is this one. Truly an international giant in every sense of the word, business and finance, M&A, labor law and litigation reign supreme here although the IP practice is coming into its own also. Like many other large firms attrition is high at times, but overall the associates here are well-credentialed and well paid. In DC, this firm's litigation section, especially with respect to technology and intellectual property disputes, tops the list in terms of prestige. However, this is one of the few firms that virtually guarantees great work and top-notch training, regardless of the practice area.