Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Office of General Counsel

About the role

The Office of General Counsel supports the dynamic educational environment of the University of Cincinnati by providing legal advice to support all areas of operation, instruction, research and administration at the University. This position is for an Associate General Counsel-Intellectual Property.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, file, and prosecute patent applications, either directly or in coordination with external counsel.
• Provide strategic IP counsel to leadership and staff, including guidance on patentability, claim scope, prosecution strategy, filing decisions, and portfolio development.
• Collaborate with faculty, inventors, and staff to identify, evaluate, protect, and position intellectual property for commercialization.
• Oversee patent prosecution workflows, including docket management, review of prosecution materials, foreign filing decisions, and continuation strategy.
• Support copyright and trademark matters, including protection strategy, registration questions, ownership issues, and practical risk assessment.
• Provide and coordinate high-quality legal services including legal counsel, representation, and advocacy to the University on multiple unrelated matters rapidly, accurately, and effectively in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Negotiate, draft, administer, and achieve legal compliance on a broad variety of commercial contracts, licensing agreements, leases, and other legal instruments memorializing the diverse activities of a large, dynamic, public organization.
• Provide legal advice and counsel in contracting, compliance, intellectual property, and other higher education legal practice areas including, but not limited to, trademarks and licensing, labor and employment, student-related matters, contract review and negotiation, public procurement, compliance, privacy, public records, constitutional law, real estate, transactional matters, gifts and development, administrative law, and research-related matters such as ethics, intellectual property, compliance and contracting.
• Communicate effectively, work cooperatively, and interact comfortably with a varied community and multiple constituencies including administrators, staff, faculty, students, trustees, external professionals, research sponsors, and vendors.

Requirements

• Reporting to the Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel (or designee), this position will collaborate closely with leadership for the Office of Innovation to prepare, file, and prosecute patent applications, either directly or in coordination with external counsel.
• Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to multi-task, prioritize, and collaborate on a team while advising various stakeholders in a high-volume and high-pressure environment.
• Sound judgment, high ethical standards, discretion and integrity.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to operate industry-standard computer technology.
• Juris Doctorate (JD) from an ABA accredited law school.
• Meet the qualifications for appointment as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio.
• Licensed to practice law and in good standing in the State of Ohio.
• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.