Trustpoint is excited to partner with a respected intellectual property law firm in its search for a Patent Attorney – Life Sciences & Chemistry to join its Washington, DC team. This direct hire opportunity is designed for an early-career patent attorney with a strong scientific foundation and meaningful substantive patent prosecution experience. The ideal candidate will hold a relevant Ph.D. in a life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, chemistry, or closely related discipline and bring the technical depth, judgment, curiosity, and drive to take ownership of increasingly sophisticated patent matters. This is an opportunity for an ambitious attorney to continue developing alongside experienced IP professionals while working on complex technologies.
Responsibilities:
- Prepare and prosecute U.S. and international patent applications across life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, and related technologies
- Draft and review patent applications, amendments, responses, and other prosecution documents
- Develop and execute prosecution strategies based on the technology, claims, prior art, and client objectives
- Analyze Office Actions and develop substantive responses to USPTO rejections and objections
- Conduct and evaluate patentability and prior art analyses
- Work closely with inventors and clients to understand complex technologies and develop strong patent positions
- Manage prosecution matters and take ownership of assigned work from preparation through resolution
- Collaborate with attorneys and technical professionals on sophisticated intellectual property matters
- Continue developing technical, legal, and strategic judgment through hands-on work and mentorship
Qualifications:
- J.D. required
- Relevant Ph.D. required;
a master’s degree, strong experience, law-firm pedigree, or industry experience will not substitute for the Ph.D. requirement - Approximately 1–2+ years of substantive patent prosecution experience
- Relevant pre-attorney patent prosecution experience may be considered toward the experience requirement
- USPTO registration required
- Active U.S. bar membership required
- Scientific background in life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated ability to handle meaningful substantive patent prosecution work;
this is not an entry-level Patent Prosecution 101 opportunity - Strong analytical, writing, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Intellectual curiosity and a genuine interest in becoming exceptionally skilled in patent prosecution
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, take ownership of assignments, and work effectively with attorneys, clients, and inventors
- Coachable, disciplined, collaborative, and motivated to grow professionally
- All candidates must be able to work at a computer screen for a sustained amount of time
Details:
- Location: Washington, DC
- Billable Expectation: Approximately 1,700 billed hours annually
- Base Salary: $140,000–$165,000
- Additional Compensation: Performance-based compensation
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