Senior Legal Counsel – Intellectual Property & Patents (Copenhagen)

Senior Legal Counsel – Intellectual Property & Patents

Novo Nordisk, the world's largest insulin producer and Europe's most valuable company, headquartered in Bagsværd near Copenhagen, is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel for its Global IP function.

You will manage and protect Novo Nordisk's critical patent portfolio covering GLP-1 receptor agonists, next-generation insulins, and obesity treatments. This role is at the intersection of cutting-edge pharmaceutical innovation and complex global IP strategy.

What You Will Do

• Manage global patent prosecution strategy for Novo Nordisk's diabetes and obesity treatment portfolio
• Lead patent litigation and invalidity proceedings before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and national courts
• Advise on freedom-to-operate analyses for new drug candidates
• Handle supplementary protection certificate (SPC) and patent term extension strategies
• Advise on IP aspects of licensing, co-development, and CDMO agreements
• Coordinate global IP enforcement strategy across 80+ countries

• Lead patent portfolio strategy for key therapeutic areas
• Manage patent litigation across European and global jurisdictions
• Advise R&D and business development on IP matters
• Coordinate external patent counsel relationships
• Develop and implement IP strategy aligned with business objectives

• Cand.jur. or equivalent legal qualification; European Patent Attorney qualification an advantage
• 8-12 years of experience in pharmaceutical IP, patent law, or life sciences IP
• Experience with UPC proceedings and European patent litigation
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical patent strategy including SPCs, Bolar exemption, and data exclusivity
• Fluent in English; Danish is preferred
• Scientific background (biology, chemistry, or pharmacy) is a strong advantage