Corporate Counsel Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Illinois
Corporate counsel roles in Illinois are concentrated in Chicago's Loop and River North, where major employers like McDonald's, United Airlines, Kraft Heinz, and large financial institutions maintain in-house legal teams. Illinois's density of Fortune 500 headquarters and its active financial services and technology sectors make it one of the stronger states for sponsored legal positions.
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About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
AbbVie is searching for an in-house Counsel for our Patent Prosecution group, part of AbbVie’s Intellectual Property, Transactions, and Innovation legal team. This position will support AbbVie’s pharmaceutical products and be based in our offices in North Chicago, IL, Waltham, MA, South San Francisco, CA, or Irvine, CA with a hybrid work model (on site 3+ days/week).
Acting individually and in cross-functional teams, the Counsel will develop and implement intellectual property strategies for AbbVie’s products and product candidates.
Responsibilities:
- Maximize AbbVie’s competitive position through creation and implementation of intellectual property strategies
- Provide legal advice and counsel to cross-functional R&D and business teams on a variety of IP-related matters
- Draft, file, and prosecute strategically useful patent applications worldwide both directly and through management of outside counsel
- Challenge and defend patents in IPR, opposition, interference, and other post-grant proceedings
- Conduct prior art searches, analyze third-party patent positions, and conduct due diligence to support business development activities
Qualifications
- JD degree from an accredited law school, state bar admission enabling in-house practice (specific state not required), and registration to practice before the USPTO
- 2+ years of experience practicing patent law as an attorney or patent agent at a law firm and/or life sciences company, including substantial U.S. and foreign patent prosecution
- Experience with India, China, and emerging markets a plus
- Technical background relevant for pharmaceutical patent prosecution, such as:
- Experience with small molecule and/or biological pharmaceutical discovery & development, and/or
- Technical degree in relevant field, such as molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, or biomedical engineering
- Strong legal, analytical, communication, collaboration, and people skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects to meet deadlines
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
AbbVie is searching for an in-house Counsel for our Patent Prosecution group, part of AbbVie’s Intellectual Property, Transactions, and Innovation legal team. This position will support AbbVie’s pharmaceutical products and be based in our offices in North Chicago, IL, Waltham, MA, South San Francisco, CA, or Irvine, CA with a hybrid work model (on site 3+ days/week).
Acting individually and in cross-functional teams, the Counsel will develop and implement intellectual property strategies for AbbVie’s products and product candidates.
Responsibilities:
- Maximize AbbVie’s competitive position through creation and implementation of intellectual property strategies
- Provide legal advice and counsel to cross-functional R&D and business teams on a variety of IP-related matters
- Draft, file, and prosecute strategically useful patent applications worldwide both directly and through management of outside counsel
- Challenge and defend patents in IPR, opposition, interference, and other post-grant proceedings
- Conduct prior art searches, analyze third-party patent positions, and conduct due diligence to support business development activities
Qualifications
- JD degree from an accredited law school, state bar admission enabling in-house practice (specific state not required), and registration to practice before the USPTO
- 2+ years of experience practicing patent law as an attorney or patent agent at a law firm and/or life sciences company, including substantial U.S. and foreign patent prosecution
- Experience with India, China, and emerging markets a plus
- Technical background relevant for pharmaceutical patent prosecution, such as:
- Experience with small molecule and/or biological pharmaceutical discovery & development, and/or
- Technical degree in relevant field, such as molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, or biomedical engineering
- Strong legal, analytical, communication, collaboration, and people skills
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects to meet deadlines
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our long-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Corporate Counsel Job Roles in Illinois
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Search Corporate Counsel Jobs in IllinoisCorporate Counsel Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in Illinois sponsor visas for corporate counsel roles?
Illinois-based Fortune 500 companies are among the most active sponsors for in-house legal positions. Employers like McDonald's, Boeing (Chicago headquarters), Hyatt, United Airlines, and Kraft Heinz have histories of sponsoring H-1B visa petitions for corporate counsel and related legal roles. Large financial institutions headquartered in or operating major offices in Chicago, including Northern Trust and Allstate, also appear in DOL disclosure data for legal department sponsorships.
Which visa types are most common for corporate counsel positions in Illinois?
The H-1B is the most common visa for corporate counsel roles in Illinois, as in-house legal positions requiring a Juris Doctor and bar admission typically qualify as specialty occupations. Some candidates with qualifications from treaty countries pursue the TN visa (Canadian and Mexican nationals) or the E-3 visa (Australian nationals). Candidates with extraordinary achievement in the legal field may also explore the O-1A, though this requires substantial documented recognition.
Which cities in Illinois have the most corporate counsel visa sponsorship jobs?
Chicago accounts for the significant majority of corporate counsel sponsorship opportunities in Illinois. The Loop, River North, and the West Loop neighborhoods are home to most Fortune 500 legal departments and large law-firm-adjacent in-house teams. Outside Chicago, opportunities are limited, though suburban corridors like Deerfield and Lisle host some corporate legal offices for companies including Baxter International and Dover Corporation.
How to find corporate counsel visa sponsorship jobs in Illinois?
Migrate Mate filters corporate counsel roles in Illinois specifically by visa sponsorship, so you're not sorting through positions that don't apply to international candidates. Given that Chicago's in-house legal market is competitive and sponsorship varies widely even among large employers, Migrate Mate's focus on verified sponsoring companies saves meaningful time. Searching by the "corporate counsel" role within Illinois on Migrate Mate surfaces the most relevant opportunities for candidates who need work authorization.
Are there any Illinois-specific considerations for corporate counsel visa sponsorship candidates?
Illinois requires bar admission to practice law, and in-house counsel are not exempt from this requirement. International candidates should confirm their home-country law degree pathway to Illinois bar eligibility before applying, as the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar has specific rules for foreign-educated applicants. Additionally, Chicago's concentration of large law schools, including Northwestern Pritzker and University of Chicago Law, means the local talent pool is highly competitive, which can affect how quickly employers move on sponsorship decisions.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored corporate counsel jobs in Illinois?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.