Role description
An IP Counsel is expected to collaborate closely with inventors to identify and develop patentable innovations. The role involves preparing comprehensive applications by drafting detailed patent documents that include precise claims and thorough descriptions while ensuring all necessary information is clearly articulated as per the patent act. The IP Counsel should conduct prior art research to establish the uniqueness of innovations and stay updated on relevant patent laws and practices to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Effective communication with internal teams and external attorneys is vital throughout the application process, as is developing strategic plans for national and international patent filings that navigate the complexities of different jurisdictions. Additionally, the IP Counsel will need to prepare and submit responses to any objections or rejections from patent offices and monitor competitors’ patent filings to inform and strengthen the company's intellectual property strategy.
1) Intellectual Property Portfolio Development:
- Strategic curation and expansion of IP assets to align with business objectives and market opportunities.
2) Supporting R&D in ideation, creation, and development:
- Guiding innovation processes from concept to commercialization while safeguarding IP rights.
1) Interviewing inventors, conducting Search and Patent drafting
- Collaborating with inventors to document novel ideas, validate uniqueness via prior art searches, and draft robust patent applications.
2) Patent Audit:
- Systematic review of existing patents to assess validity, compliance, and alignment with organizational strategy.
3) Patent Searches (State of the Art, FTO, Invalidity, etc.)
- Executing targeted searches to inform R&D direction, mitigate infringement risks, or challenge/existing patents.
4) Responding to FERs and Office Actions of other jurisdictions,
- Addressing patent examiners' queries with technical-legal arguments to secure grant approvals.
5) Attending Hearing on Patent matters
- Advocating for IP rights in legal or administrative proceedings to resolve disputes or oppositions.
6) Managing IP management tool AQX Corporate
- Overseeing digital IP workflows, docketing, and analytics for streamlined portfolio management.
7) Negotiating Research Contracts & NDAs with various Research partners:
- Structuring agreements with partners to define IP ownership, licensing, and confidentiality terms.
8) IP awareness sessions:
- Educating teams on IP best practices to foster innovation and ensure timely, secure filings.
Skills
- Having sound knowledge of Indian Patent Act 1970, PCT
- IP searching/FTO/Invalidity
- Expertise to use IP Databases
- National Patent Filing/PCT Filing
- Due Diligence of Patent portfolios and identifying emerging IP trends
- Skills on Patent portfolio management
- Technical competence to perform intellectual property and technical due diligence.
- Technical competence to execute patent landscaping, technology scouting, and data mining (programming would be an advantage) projects
- Impeccable written and verbal communications to make knowledge-driven recommendations to technical and business leadership.
- Collaborative aptitude to engage with people from diverse skill set to retrieve the insights
- Exposure to IP, Business, and technical databases
Willingness to travel to different conferences and events and gathering information
Other details
B. Tech./M. tech/MSc./PhD/Research Fellows
- Preferably in Metallurgy, Physics, Mechanical Engineering
Registered Patent Agents/LLB/LLM in IP law preferred.
About Tata Steel Ltd
Tata Steel is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes per annum. It is one of the world's most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world. The group recorded a consolidated turnover of US $32,836 million in the financial year ending March 31, 2022. A Great Place to Work-CertifiedTM organisation, Tata Steel Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 65,000
