Associate General Counsel, IP Litigation
Gilead Sciences
- Location
- United States - California - Foster City
- Work model
- On-Site
- Level
- Senior
- H-1B history
- 75 approvals (FY2023)
- Posted
- Aug 13, 2026
About this role
At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference. Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact. We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together.
Job Description
Associate General Counsel, IP Litigation We are seeking a strategic and experienced IP litigator to join Gilead's IP Litigation team. In this role, you will lead and manage complex, high-stakes patent litigation, licensing disputes, and other IP-related matters, while serving as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on litigation strategy, risk management, and business-critical intellectual property issues. The successful candidate will bring deep experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences patent litigation, strong business judgment, exceptional collaboration and communication skills, and a demonstrated ability to mentor junior attorneys and partner effectively across multiple functions to advance Gilead's strategic objectives. Essential Functions Lead and manage complex, high-stakes patent litigation, licensing disputes, and other IP-related matters in the United States and globally. Develop and drive litigation strategy in partnership with internal and external counsel, ensuring alignment with business objectives and risk tolerance. Oversee all phases of litigation and adversarial proceedings, including case assessment, discovery, witness preparation, expert strategy, dispositive motions, trial preparation, trial, and appeal. Advise Gilead’s senior leaders on litigation strategy and risk management. Provide strategic freedom-to-operate, validity, exclusivity, and due diligence assessments to support business, licensing, development, and commercialization decisions. Conduct IP portfolio assessments, including preparation for potential generic and biosimilar challenges. Provide input on how to improve our client services in an ever-changing and challenging legal and political environment, including responses to changing government landscape that implicate our IP. Serve as a thought leader on a substantive area of intellectual property law. Supervise and train more junior members of the IP litigation group. Knowledge, Experience & Skills Minimum 12 years of relevant patent litigation experience, either in private practice or in-house, with a primary focus on pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, or other life sciences industries. An undergraduate or advanced degree in biology, chemistry, pharmacy, immunology, or a related life sciences discipline is strongly preferred. J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to at least one U.S. state bar required. Admission to practice before the USPTO is a plus. Demonstrated commitment to Gilead's core values: Teamwork, Accountability, Inclusion, Excellence, and Integrity. The candidate will be expected to: Establish appropriate priorities with clients and deliver results within established timelines in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. Exercise good judgment in identifying, evaluating,