Report: Head of Legal Counsel
Department: Group Legal and Secretarial
Location: CIMB Hub Jalan Sultan Ismail Kuala Lumpur
Job Summary
This role is responsible for leading and supporting the Group's intellectual property (IP) administration activities, including trademark, patent, industrial design, and trade secret management. The successful candidate will play a key role in protecting and maximizing the value of Duopharma's intellectual property portfolio while providing legal support on commercial matters, M&A due diligence, and corporate legal projects.
Key Responsibilities
Intellectual Property Strategy & Governance
- Support the development and execution of the Group's intellectual property strategy in alignment with business objectives
- Establish and maintain frameworks, policies, and SOPs for IP disclosures, documentation, and portfolio management
- Conduct periodic IP audits to identify protection gaps, risks, and commercialization opportunities
- Maintain effective governance of intellectual property assets across the Group
Trademark & Industrial Design Management
- Manage the full lifecycle of trademarks and registered designs, including filings, renewals, monitoring, and enforcement
- Coordinate global trademark clearance activities for new products and brands
- Maintain trademark and design registers, including quarterly risk assessments and reporting
- Support trademark assignment projects and portfolio optimization initiatives
Patent Management & Pharmaceutical IP Protection
- Coordinate patent filing activities with inventors, technical teams, and external IP agents
- Manage patent prosecution processes, renewals, annuities, and office action responses
- Support Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) assessments and infringement analyses
- Develop and strengthen trade secret protection frameworks for proprietary technologies and manufacturing processes
IP Enforcement & Risk Management
- Support opposition proceedings, cease-and-desist actions, and IP dispute management
- Coordinate with external legal counsel on IP litigation and enforcement matters
- Monitor IP-related risks and recommend mitigation strategies to protect the Group's interests
Commercial Legal & Corporate Support
- Lead IP-related due diligence activities for mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and corporate transactions
- Develop and maintain standardized IP contractual frameworks and legal clauses
- Support legal reviews, contract vetting, and other assignments as directed by the Head of Legal
- Provide legal advisory support on intellectual property and commercial matters across the Group
Requirements
Qualifications: LL.B (Hons) from a recognized university. Admission to the Malaysian Bar is preferred
Experience: 3–5 years of post-qualification experience (PQE)
- Experience in Intellectual Property law, preferably within the pharmaceutical, healthcare, biotechnology, or life sciences industry
- Exposure to trademark, patent, and commercial legal matters is highly desirable
Technical Skills & Knowledge
- Strong knowledge of the Malaysian Patents Act and Trademarks Act
- Experience with Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and Madrid Protocol filings
- Understanding of intellectual property portfolio management and enforcement
- Experience in contract drafting, negotiation, and legal risk assessment
- Familiarity with M&A due diligence and commercial transactions is an advantage
Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Excellent legal drafting and communication abilities
- Strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills
- Ability to manage multiple projects independently
- High attention to detail and professional integrity
- Commercially minded with strong business acumen
Why Join Us
- Opportunity to manage and protect a growing pharmaceutical IP portfolio
- Exposure to trademarks, patents, industrial designs, and trade secret protection
- Involvement in strategic corporate projects, M&A due diligence, and commercial transactions
- Regional and international IP exposure across multiple jurisdictions
- Career growth within a leading Malaysian pharmaceutical and healthcare group
