Trademark Legal Counsel

About the role

Shell’s trademarks play a critical role in protecting the company’s brand, reputation, and heritage. The Trademark Licensing & Portfolio team within Legal Services provides specialist legal advice on trademark portfolio management, licensing, and brand protection. The Trademark Legal Counsel will support the management and protection of Shell’s global trademark portfolio, including licensing activities and anti-counterfeiting efforts. This role requires providing commercially focused, outcome-driven, cost-effective, and risk-based legal advice to businesses.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, timely, practical, and commercially focused trademark advice in relation to portfolio management, licensing, and brand protection
• Support the management and development of Shell’s global trademark assets, ensuring alignment with business strategy
• Advise Shell businesses on trademark licensing
• Assist in anti-counterfeiting and enforcement strategies
• Support strategic, efficient, and cost-controlled trademark portfolios
• Identify and escalate legal, regulatory, and reputational risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation strategies are in place
• Collaborate with the Commercial Legal team and business stakeholders to deliver integrated legal support
• Monitor developments in trademark law and practice and communicate potential impacts to the business
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and capability building within the team
• Deliver high-quality trademark legal support across portfolio management, licensing, and enforcement matters
• Manage interactions with external trademark counsel for assigned matters, ensuring alignment with Shell standards, including effective use of external resources
• Ensure accurate and reliable trademark data and reporting, in coordination with portfolio management processes
• Draft and review trademark-related agreements and documentation in line with legal and commercial requirements
• Support governance processes for trademark disputes and portfolio decisions
• Keep relevant stakeholders informed of key risks and developments
• Ensure that Shell’s global trademark portfolio and licensing risks are identified and documents are appropriately drafted to reflect commercial decisions, consistent with professional standards, legal obligations, the Shell Code of Conduct, Shell General Business Principles, including the Shell Control Framework and IP Standard

Requirements

• Must have legal authorization to work in the US on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer
• Law degree and licensed to practice law in Texas
• At least 10 years of experience in trademark law, including trademark portfolio management, licensing, brand protection, and trademark litigation
• Experience drafting and negotiating licenses, working with or managing external counsel and service providers, and trademark litigation
• Demonstrated commercial acumen and risk-based decision-making
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including the ability to work across cultures and geographies
• Ability to handle complex trademark matters with appropriate supervision and escalate where required
• High level of integrity and commitment to ethical and compliant behavior, aligned with Shell values
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under pressure
• Strong ability in innovating and deploying technology and embracing and adapting through change

Pay

The base salary range for this position is $178,000 - $266,000 per year. Individual pay will be based on various factors, such as relevant work experience, education, certifications, skill level, seniority, and internal equity.

Benefits

• Insurance coverage options including medical, dental, vision, life, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs
• Company pension plan and a 401(k) plan
• Paid leave including up to 6 weeks of paid vacation time, up to 11 paid holidays, and parental leave offering 16 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents and 8 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Short-term disability leave for up to 26 weeks at 100% or 50% of base pay
• Long-Term Disability insurance
• Financial reimbursement for adoption, wellness, education, and personal learning expenses
• Some roles are eligible for discretionary long-term incentives
• Flexible working hours and the possibility of remote/mobile working
• Competitive starting salary and annual performance-related salary increase
• Paid parental leave for non-birthing parents
• Access to a wide range of training and development programs
• Opportunities for diverse career progression in national and international teams