IP Legal Counsel At Alcon, we are driven by the meaningful work we do to help people see brilliantly. We innovate boldly, champion progress, and act with speed as the global leader in eye care. Here, you’ll be recognized for your commitment and contributions and see your career like never before. Together, we go above and beyond to make an impact in the lives of our patients and customers. We foster an inclusive culture and are looking for diverse, talented people to join Alcon. As an IP Legal Counsel supporting our Legal and Compliance team, you will be trusted to work on intellectual property matters related to ophthalmic materials, medical devices, and manufacturing technologies in our Fort Worth, TX office. In this role, a typical day will include: Manage invention disclosures, including collecting and screening disclosures, conducting inventor interviews, presenting disclosures at patent committee meetings, and making recommendations Prepare, prosecute, and manage Alcon’s global patent portfolio, including direct preparation and prosecution of patent applications before the USPTO Review and manage outside counsel work to ensure quality and cost effectiveness, consistent with Alcon expectations and IP strategy Manage legal costs and outside counsel spend to support budget objectives and priorities Conduct due diligence and freedom-to-operate assessments related to product development, M&A, and licensing activities Conduct strategic assessments of competitor products and IP portfolios Collaborate with cross-functional teams and counsel a variety of clients on IP and other legal issues Interact with and provide legal and strategic guidance to R&D and commercial stakeholders, senior management, and other organizational functions Providing legal support on IP-related agreements, including R&D agreements, confidentiality agreements, license agreements, and consulting agreements Assist internal and external litigation counsel on IP litigation and administrative patent proceedings, including reexaminations and oppositions Conduct internal training on IP-related issues and processes, including IP capture, patent strategy, confidentiality and contamination, and trade secret protection Provide input and advice regarding IP issues related to regulatory, marketing, and promotional materials Occasional domestic or foreign travel WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO ALCON: Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent years of directly related experience (or high school+15 yrs. Assoc.+11 yrs.; M.S.+4 yrs.; PhD+3 yrs.) The ability to fluently read, write, understand, and communicate in English 7 Years of Relevant Experience ADDITIONAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school, with strong academic performance Admission to at least one U.S. state bar and registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Preferred areas of education in engineering, chemistry, materials science, physics, or a related technical field, with strong academic performance Experience practicing patent law, including patent preparation and prosecution, preferably in the medical device, life sciences, or advanced technology sectors Demonstrated ability to manage patent portfolios, interact effectively with inventors, and provide practical, business‑oriented legal advice Experience working with cross‑functional teams, including R&D and commercial stakeholders Preferably, working knowledge of patent law in international jurisdictions and experience with patent conflicts, including reexaminations, EPO oppositions, and/or patent litigation. HOW YOU CAN THRIVE AT ALCON: See your career like never before with focused growth and development opportunities Join Alcon’s mission to provide outstanding, innovative products and solutions to improve sight, improve lives, and grow your career! Alcon provides robust benefits package including health, life, retirement, flexible time off for exempt associates, PTO for hourly associates, and much more! Alcon Careers See your impact at alcon.com/careers ATTENTION: Current Alcon Employee/Contingent Worker If you are currently an active employee/contingent worker at Alcon, please click the appropriate link below to apply on the Internal Career site. Find Jobs for Employees Find Jobs for Contingent Worker ALCON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY Alcon takes pride in maintaining an inclusive environment that values different perspectives and our policies are non-discriminatory in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Alcon is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to
[email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. At Alcon, we are committed to helping people see better. We believe patients should have access to quality eye care regardless of their economic circumstances; however, barriers to good eye health exist for patients in both developed and emerging markets. Alcon develops and manufactures innovative devices to serve the full life cycle of eye care needs. Its surgical group is one of the largest makers of equipment used for cataract removal and laser vision correction. Its consumer products include the well-known Opti-Free line of contact lens solutions and related products. Alcon, which was founded in 1945, sells its products in 180 countries worldwide. If you are currently an active employee/contingent worker at Alcon, please click the appropriate link below to apply on the Internal Career site. Find Jobs for Employees Find Jobs for Contingent Worker