Legal Director (Intellectual Property)

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Function: Legal

Work Arrangement: Remote (UK or Ireland) or office-based (London or Ireland)

Employment Type: Part-Time, 1-4 days per week

Compensation: Up to £140,000 per year, pro rata, depending on experience and days per week

Our client is a medical device company developing minimally invasive technologies for vascular and endovascular procedures. The company operates as part of the medical device division of a larger international healthcare group.

One product is currently on the market, with several more in the pipeline and in human trials ahead of further launches targeted for early 2027.

Following its acquisition by the group, the company is creating its first in house legal position to provide dedicated intellectual property coverage, working closely with R&D, regulatory, clinical, finance, operations, and commercial teams.

The position is offered on an employed, part-time basis, with flexibility of 1-4 days per week.

The role can be:

• Fully remote, with one to two days per month of travel to the company's Ireland office.
• Office based at the company's London or Ireland office.

The core focus is intellectual property, with scope for candidates who can commit more days per week to take on broader, generalist legal work.

• Advise on and support execution of the company's intellectual property strategy, aligning it with product development, clinical, regulatory, and commercial goals.
• Prepare, review, and prosecute patent applications globally, working closely with engineers, scientists, and outside counsel as appropriate.
• Manage outside counsel on patent preparation, prosecution, oppositions, post grant challenges, and related matters, including oversight of strategy, quality, and cost.
• Conduct patentability, landscape, and freedom to operate analyses, and monitor competitor filings and products.
• Counsel business and technical teams on patent strategy, invention capture, trade secrets, and IP risk management.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including NDAs, consulting, supplier, service, technology, and licensing agreements.
• For candidates able to commit more days per week, support broader legal matters such as M&A and partnership due diligence, employment, corporate transactions, and regulatory compliance, coordinating with outside counsel and functional owners as needed.

• Qualified solicitor, admitted to practice and in good standing in the UK, Ireland, or another relevant jurisdiction, with substantial experience in patent drafting and prosecution.
• 10+ years of experience drafting, prosecuting, and managing patent applications.
• Background in biotech, medical devices, or a related life sciences field.
• Experience building and managing patent portfolios aligned with business objectives.
• Comfortable operating as a company's sole in house legal resource and working across technical and business functions.
• Sound legal judgment with a pragmatic, commercially minded approach to risk.
• Able to travel to the company's Ireland office for one to two days per month when working remotely.

• Experience drafting, reviewing, or negotiating commercial or corporate agreements.
• Exposure to broader legal matters such as employment, corporate transactions, or regulatory compliance.

Up to £140,000 per year, pro rata, depending on experience and days per week.