IP Lawyer and Patent Attorney

e184•Portland, OR

About The Position

e184 is developing technologies beyond biological limits, including in vitro gametogenesis, ectogenesis, and a non-invasive brain-computer interface. The IP Lawyer and Patent Attorney will turn the company’s scientific work into protected, defensible intellectual property. This is an in-house role closely connected to the company’s scientists, with patents as the primary focus and broader legal support as the company grows. The role involves developing IP strategy with scientists, assessing patentability, and personally drafting, filing, and prosecuting patent applications, beginning in the United States and extending to PCT and national-phase filings. It also covers prior-art and patent-landscape analysis, inventorship and ownership, IP arrangements for research collaborations, licensing, and review of commercial agreements. The lawyer will coordinate with outside counsel and help identify questions involving export controls, data protection, research regulation, equity, and corporate structure.

Requirements

Hold a JD and be admitted to a US state bar.
Have at least 5 years of hands-on intellectual-property experience for R&D-driven companies or research institutions.
Have personally drafted and prosecuted patent applications.
Be experienced with prior-art searches, inventorship questions, licensing, and R&D agreements, including NDAs, material transfer, sponsored research, collaboration, and supplier agreements.
Know startup equity matters, including restricted stock, options, and shareholder agreements, well enough to identify issues.
Know when to seek outside counsel and be able to explain legal matters clearly to scientists.
Be comfortable serving as the only lawyer in a small, fast-moving team and handling confidential scientific information discreetly.

Nice To Haves

USPTO registration, or the ability to work closely with a registered practitioner.
A life-science background, especially in cell, developmental, or reproductive biology, or stem cells.
A background in physics or engineering.
Cross-border experience involving the US and UK.
Exposure to export-control or research-regulation questions.

Responsibilities

Work with scientists early to determine what to patent, maintain as a trade secret, or publish.
Assess patentability and draft, file, and prosecute patent applications, initially in the United States and then through PCT and national phases.
Conduct prior-art searches, map patents related to the company’s work, and advise on third-party patents to monitor, design around, or challenge.
Determine inventorship, including for inventions developed with outside collaborators, and establish appropriate assignments.
Draft and negotiate collaboration, sponsored research, material and data transfer agreements, and NDAs with universities, hospitals, and other partners.
Negotiate licenses when the company needs to use third-party intellectual property.
Maintain appropriate ownership of inventions across the company’s US and UK entities, including through employment, consulting, and advisor agreements.
Review IP, confidentiality, and liability terms in commercial agreements and identify potential export-control, data-protection, and research-regulation issues.
Work with outside corporate and tax counsel on equity and group-structure matters.
Track signed agreements and commitments and manage outside law firms to deliver work on time and within budget.