UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital and the world’s #1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. 

UHN’s vision is to build A Healthier World and it’s only because of the talented and dedicated people who work here that we are continually bringing that vision closer to reality. 

www.uhn.ca 

Union: Non-Union  
Number of vacancies:  1
Site: 700 University Avenue
Department: Legal Affairs (Research)
Reports to: Director of Research Legal - IP & Commercialization
Hours: Days
Status: Permanent Full-Time
Closing Date: November 21, 2025

Position Summary

Researchers at UHN are focused on investigating the causes of numerous diseases and are developing new and better ways to treat them and deliver better care. Focuses of research include: artificial intelligence (AI), cancer, cardiology, transplantation, immunology, infectious disease, health services, rehabilitation, fitness and mobility, neural and visual sciences, musculoskeletal disease and community and population health.

This is an exciting opportunity to join UHN as Intellectual Property Counsel – to help reshape and streamline our approach to selecting, supporting, protecting and enabling our most promising innovations, in line with UHN’s mandate to enable and lead commercialization and industry partnership for a healthier world. 

UHN is seeking a strategic and results-oriented Intellectual Property Counsel to join its Legal Affairs Department, reporting to the Director, Research Legal IP & Commercialization, and working closely with our patent paralegal. Aligned with the UHN’s strategic mandate, the candidate will provide a spectrum of intellectual property related protection advice and services together with being a key member of the licensing deal team in support of UHN’s commercialization agenda. Intellectual Property Counsel will also serve as a point of contact around Intellectual Property protection and enforcement matters for a diverse array of UHN stakeholders (e.g. Executive Vice President of Research, Communications Team, Institute Directors, Director of Commercialization, Other Legal Affairs team, Principal Investigators, and other Research and non Research personnel).

Duties 

• Devises and implements, in consultation with Director of Research Legal – IP & Commercialization, and Director of Commercialization, a strategy to streamline our approach to both selecting and prosecuting high priority assets.
• Provides expert patent prosecution advice and guidance to Commercialization colleagues on files under their active management.
• Acts as a liaison between Commercialization Licensing Professionals, our internal paralegal, and external patent counsel, as appropriate, for purposes of supporting the protection of high value assets.
• Working with external patent counsel, together with an internal team, to provide streamlined reporting letters and ensure appropriate engagement of creator’s expertise in supporting patent prosecution. 
• For those selected high priority items, engage external search support to ensure strong IP protection and for all matters taking into account commercial objectives, provide direction as to scope of claim protection.
• A key member of the licensing team, supporting the commercialization of IP assets, and as necessary adjusting patenting strategy to support the intended business model;
• Participates in the provision of training to UHN Personnel on relevant and changing legal, IP and regulatory matters;
• As required, participates on UHN committee(s)

• Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree, with a scientific/technical background and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (or recognized equivalent).
• A designated Canadian and/or US patent agent. 
• Minimum, four (4) years of practical related experience and management experience preferred. 
• Significant patent law and prosecution knowledge required. Trademark experience is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with both legal and business colleagues, and effectively as part of a team.
• Demonstrated strategic thinker, with particular focus on early stage patent protection strategies in anticipation of licensing.
• Excellent communication skills, customer service, interpersonal, diplomacy skills and organizational and time management skills required to handle competing priorities/deadlines.
• Eagerness to engage in the further development of knowledge and skills in a self-directed manner, and work with limited supervision.

Why join UHN?

In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP https://hoopp.com/)
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
• Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)

Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.

All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.

UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates.  Please ensure you check your email regularly.

Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.