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Associate General Counsel, Patent Prosecution - India

AbbVie · North Chicago, IL · Full time · Legal

Posted Jun 4, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

This role is at North Chicago. How does that fit your life?

What they are checking: Honest fit with the location the posting states.

What would you do

How do you manage outside counsel so you get the quality you want at the cost you planned?

What they are checking: The posting names prosecuting both directly and through outside counsel.

How do you counsel an R&D team that wants to publish something you would rather file on first?

What they are checking: The permanent tension between science and patent strategy in a pharmaceutical company.

How do you deliver an opinion a business team does not want to hear?

What they are checking: The core of in-house counsel work, and whether they will do it plainly.

About the work

Tell me about your patent prosecution practice and the technologies you have worked in.

What they are checking: The posting is a prosecution role, and the technical field decides whether they can do it.

This role covers India. What do you know about Indian patent practice and what makes it different?

What they are checking: The posting names India in the title, and Indian practice has its own rules on patentability.

Walk me through drafting a claim set for an application you want to be strategically useful.

What they are checking: The posting says strategically useful patent applications, not merely granted ones.

Tell me about defending a patent in a post-grant proceeding.

What they are checking: The posting names IPR, opposition, interference and other post-grant proceedings.

Walk me through analyzing a third party's patent position.

What they are checking: The posting names prior art searches, analyzing third-party positions and due diligence.

Tell me about your bar admission and patent bar registration.

What they are checking: The posting requires a JD from an accredited law school, so credentials are confirmed plainly.

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The full job description

As published by AbbVie.

AbbVie is searching for an in-house Associate General Counsel for our Patent Prosecution group, part of AbbVie’s Intellectual Property, Transactions, and Innovation legal team. This position will support AbbVie’s pharmaceutical products and be based in our offices in North Chicago, IL, Waltham, MA, South San Francisco, CA, or Irvine, CA . Acting individually and in cross-functional teams, the Associate General Counsel will develop and implement intellectual property strategies for AbbVie’s products and product candidates, with a particular emphasis on protecting the Indian market. Responsibilities: • P rovide legal advice and counsel to cross-functional R&D and business teams on a variety of IP-related matters and serve as a subject matter expert on patent strategy in India • Maximize AbbVie’s competitive position through creation and implementation of intellectual property strategies • Draft, file, and prosecute strategically useful patent applications worldwide both directly and through management of outside counsel • Challenge and defend patents in IPR, opposition, interference, and other post-grant proceedings, including implementing strategies to expedite resolution of Indian proceedings • Conduct prior art searches, analyze third-party patent positions, and conduct due diligence to support business development activities • JD degree from an accredited law school, state bar admission enabling in-house practice (specific state not required), and registration to practice before the USPTO • 8+ years of experience practicing patent law as an attorney or patent agent at a law firm and/or life sciences company, including substantial experience obtaining and defending Indian patents • Technical background relevant for pharmaceutical patent prosecution, such as: • Experience with small molecule and/or biological pharmaceutical discovery & development, and/or • Technical degree in relevant field, such as molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, or biomedical engineering • Strong legal, analytical, communication, collaboration, and people skills • Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects to meet deadlines Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​ • The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of thisposting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location,and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​ • We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​ • This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs. ​ Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission,incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless anduntil paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more: https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html

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