Senior Director, Patent Litigation

Moderna • Cambridge, MA

27d

About The Position

The Role: Reporting to VP, IP Litigation, the attorney will serve as a key member of the IP litigation team. The attorney will help set the Company’s patent and litigation strategy, effectively and efficiently manage and resolve IP litigation disputes and patent challenges, and coordinate with finance, corporate communications, and investor relations to ensure appropriate and timely disclosures. Here's What You'll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications) Manage a docket of U.S. litigation matters, working strategically with outside counsel, internal legal teams, and the business, as well as assisting with ex.-U.S. litigation matters and patent office proceedings. Partner internally to provide pre-litigation strategies, with an eye toward identifying and mitigating any risks, and to provide global, strategic counsel to the business regarding patent assessments for the Company’s robust pipeline. Coordinate information with finance, corporate communications, and investor relations teams to ensure that appropriate proactive disclosures and communications are made. Help drive intellectual property policies internally and externally to promote innovation. Work with internal legal teams and the business to scale, optimize and/or develop IP litigation infrastructure and processes. Here’s What You’ll Need (Basic Qualifications) J.D. from a national law school and admission to any state bar in the United States. Must be eligible for in-house licensure via the MA Board of Bar Overseers and licensed to practice law in at least 1 U.S. jurisdiction A minimum of 10 years of experience handling complex IP challenges and litigations in the biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical industries, with a deep understanding of IP litigation strategy, ideally gained through experience with a top law firm and in an in-house setting. Demonstrated and extensive hands-on litigation experience, including day-to-day case management, overseeing discovery (including e-discovery) and managing case strategy strongly preferred. First-chair experience a plus. Experience with IPR and EPO proceedings preferred. Demonstrated understanding/experience with international IP litigation landscape/laws a strong plus. Comfortable working with legal technology and open to using automation and Generative AI to enhance legal work. Participate in AI-related initiatives to improve legal support workflows, including use of approved AI tools and/or GPT-enabled support where appropriate. Here’s What You’ll Do: Highly strategic mindset and approach to disputes; anticipating future business, competitive, and legal risks and looking for creative solutions and opportunities. Outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across functions and to communicate effectively with senior business leaders, as well as other professionals and colleagues at all levels of an organization. Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tight deadlines in a high-paced environment. Highly nimble, adaptable, and agile team player with dynamic range, adept at collaborative and strategic decision making, as well as results-oriented execution. Exceptional judgment and ability to quickly assess business challenges, make timely, pragmatic recommendations under pressure, and identify, prioritize, and resolve issues quickly and independently. Sophisticated verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues in a simple way and provide executive-ready IP litigation insights concerning litigation events, risks and threats, as well as recommended strategy/process change. Ability to thrive in a dynamic, innovative, and high-energy environment without extensive hierarchy. Unquestioned integrity and judgment, with a demonstrated ability to establish credibility internally and externally. High sense of urgency and commitment to execution. Demonstrated business acumen, strong analytical skills, and the ability to grasp important business, legal, and financial issues facing the Company. Prior use of AI tools and/or experience developing GPTs or implementing AI-enabled workflows in a legal setting is a plus.

Requirements

• J.D. from a national law school and admission to any state bar in the United States.
• Must be eligible for in-house licensure via the MA Board of Bar Overseers and licensed to practice law in at least 1 U.S. jurisdiction
• A minimum of 10 years of experience handling complex IP challenges and litigations in the biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical industries, with a deep understanding of IP litigation strategy, ideally gained through experience with a top law firm and in an in-house setting.
• Demonstrated and extensive hands-on litigation experience, including day-to-day case management, overseeing discovery (including e-discovery) and managing case strategy strongly preferred.
• Comfortable working with legal technology and open to using automation and Generative AI to enhance legal work.
• Participate in AI-related initiatives to improve legal support workflows, including use of approved AI tools and/or GPT-enabled support where appropriate.
• Highly strategic mindset and approach to disputes; anticipating future business, competitive, and legal risks and looking for creative solutions and opportunities.
• Outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills, with the ability to build strong relationships across functions and to communicate effectively with senior business leaders, as well as other professionals and colleagues at all levels of an organization.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tight deadlines in a high-paced environment.
• Highly nimble, adaptable, and agile team player with dynamic range, adept at collaborative and strategic decision making, as well as results-oriented execution.
• Exceptional judgment and ability to quickly assess business challenges, make timely, pragmatic recommendations under pressure, and identify, prioritize, and resolve issues quickly and independently.
• Sophisticated verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues in a simple way and provide executive-ready IP litigation insights concerning litigation events, risks and threats, as well as recommended strategy/process change.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, innovative, and high-energy environment without extensive hierarchy.
• Unquestioned integrity and judgment, with a demonstrated ability to establish credibility internally and externally.
• High sense of urgency and commitment to execution.
• Demonstrated business acumen, strong analytical skills, and the ability to grasp important business, legal, and financial issues facing the Company.

Nice To Haves

• First-chair experience a plus.
• Experience with IPR and EPO proceedings preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding/experience with international IP litigation landscape/laws a strong plus.
• Prior use of AI tools and/or experience developing GPTs or implementing AI-enabled workflows in a legal setting is a plus.

Benefits

• Best-in-class healthcare coverage, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs
• A holistic approach to well-being, with access to fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support
• Family planning benefits, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown
• Savings and investment opportunities to help you plan for the future
• Location-specific perks and extras

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed