"One client, limitless opportunity."
P&G attorneys play a vital role in helping to build the Company's business while protecting its assets, and assuring its compliance with the myriad of laws and regulations that affect a multinational corporation. The foundation of our overall business strategy is superior technology, so protecting our internal investment in intellectual property is critical. Without this, we simply can't succeed. That's why P&G attorneys are part of project teams from start to finish. A career here offers immediate client contact, sophisticated legal work and the opportunity to grow and develop as a lawyer in a collegial, Fortune 500 business environment.
You will oversee freedom–to–practice and intellectual property validity issues, file and prosecute patent applications, counsel on intellectual property, trade secret and antitrust matters, and participate with outside counsel in intellectual property litigation. Other duties could include negotiating a broad spectrum of agreements, including licensing agreements and clearing new trademarks for use and registration globally and locally.
As a new attorney with P&G, your responsibilities would typically include front line responsibilities for the legal affairs of one of the Company's business units, or front line responsibilities in one of the Company's legal specialty areas, such as environmental law, labor and employment law, or patent and trademark law. In short, new P&G lawyers work in a challenging, hands – on environment that requires a sound base of knowledge and outstanding practical problem – solving skills.
You will be actively involved with patentability opinion or patent strategy, two responses or appeal briefs, patent application draft, set of claims, as well as presentation on a topic related to your work.
Advancement Opportunities
Career progression in the Intellectual Property Division is through a skill – based promotion system, which is rigorous, clear, and calibrated. This system rewards skill acquisition and demonstration.
New attorneys in our legal division start with the title of Counsel and are generally hired after a summer internship or through the interview process and typically start immediately after they complete law school or a judicial clerkship. From time to time, lateral candidates, with less than three years experience, are hired. Attorneys who excel are considered for a promotion to Senior Counsel in five to eight years. Individuals with outstanding legal and managerial skills may qualify for promotion to Associate General Counsel. An Associate General Counsel is usually the chief lawyer for a business unit or for an important legal specialty.
All of our intellectual property attorneys have excellent law school records from a cross – section of leading law schools. For those attorneys who work in the area of patent preparation and prosecution, it is required that our attorneys have a technical undergraduate background (i.e., science and engineering) in order to practice patent law. We also look for well – rounded men and women with an abundance of qualities such as leadership, vision, and energy.
Qualified applicants will have less than three years of practice.
Preferred applicants are law students who possess excellent academic records, outstanding oral and written communications, and a technical undergraduate background.