Senior Counsel, Innovation Law

Bristol Myers Squibb • Seattle, WA

1d

About The Position

Working with Us Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren’t words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You’ll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible. Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us. Senior Counsel, Cell Therapy & Biologics - Innovation Law Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is seeking a Senior Counsel, Innovation Law, based at our R&D center in Seattle, WA or San Diego, CA. The attorney will support clients across multiple functional areas to build and leverage BMS’ intellectual property interests, with a focus on cell therapy and biologics. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work well across functions and geographies are a must.

Requirements

• Registered to practice before the USPTO.
• J.D. degree or equivalent and admission to at least one state bar.
• 8 or more years of patent law experience in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology field, or an equivalent combination of patent law and pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in the biological sciences (or equivalent).
• Excellent analytical, written and verbal communication skills.
• Service‑oriented focus with ability to work as part of cross‑functional teams and drive results.
• Highest integrity, excellent judgment, and the ability to proactively recognize and assess business risk and communicate legal issues to patent, legal, and general management.

Nice To Haves

• An advanced degree and/or scientific research experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive IP legal support for cell therapy and biologics programs, including CAR‑T and next‑generation modalities.
• Prepare and prosecute patent applications, including drafting, filing, and managing responses to office actions on a global level.
• Develop and implement advanced IP strategies to protect BMS's innovations and support business goals.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration efforts working closely with R&D, regulatory, commercial, and other departments to achieve project milestones.
• 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.

Benefits

• Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.
• Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
• Financial Well-being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support.
• Work-life benefits include: Paid Time Off US Exempt Employees: flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval, 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or Rayzebio employees) Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and Rayzebio Exempt, Non-Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays Based on eligibility, additional time off for employees may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Years Day. All global employees full and part-time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown.
• Eligibility Disclosure: The summer hours program is for United States (U.S.) office-based employees due to the unique nature of their work. Summer hours are generally not available for field sales and manufacturing operations and may also be limited for the capability centers. Employees in remote-by-design or lab-based roles may be eligible for summer hours, depending on the nature of their work, and should discuss eligibility with their manager. Employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement should consult that document to determine if they are eligible. Contractors, leased workers and other service providers are not eligible to participate in the program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level