Patent Counsel

About the role

The successful candidate will play a key role in shaping and managing a strategic patent portfolio while serving as a trusted advisor on IP matters. This individual will work directly with innovators and product teams to identify protectable technologies, evaluate IP risk, and support business objectives through practical and commercially focused legal guidance. The role also offers the opportunity to leverage emerging AI-enabled tools to enhance patent development, portfolio management, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage a global patent portfolio aligned with business strategy and commercial priorities.
• Oversee and collaborate with outside patent counsel on patent preparation, prosecution, and portfolio maintenance activities.
• Partner with engineering, product, and cross-functional teams to identify inventions, assess patentability, and develop protection strategies.
• Provide practical, business-oriented advice on intellectual property matters, balancing legal risk with operational and commercial considerations.
• Evaluate invention disclosures and portfolio assets to determine filing strategy, timing, scope, and alternative forms of IP protection.
• Advise stakeholders on IP risks, opportunities, and competitive positioning related to products, technologies, and future roadmaps.
• Utilize AI-driven and technology-enabled tools to support invention harvesting, prior art analysis, portfolio analytics, and workflow optimization.
• Monitor emerging technologies and industry developments that may impact intellectual property strategy.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
• Registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
• 3+ years of patent law experience, gained either in-house or at a law firm.
• Demonstrated experience with patent preparation, prosecution, and portfolio management.
• Strong ability to communicate complex legal concepts to technical and non-legal audiences.

Skills

• Prior engineering or technical industry experience.
• Experience supporting technology products, software platforms, AI-enabled solutions, hardware systems, or related innovations.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted intellectual property or legal technology tools.
• Experience managing outside counsel and coordinating global patent strategies.