Counsel, Patents & IP

Lyft•Washington, DC

1d•$161,920 - $202,400•Hybrid

About The Position

Lyft is hiring a Counsel, Patents & IP to manage the company’s patent function, drive patent portfolio strategy and day-to-day management, advise on open source, review external technical publications, and provide IP guidance across the business. The role works closely with engineers, researchers, lawyers, and other stakeholders, and supports work involving Lyft’s global expansion, Lyft Urban Solutions’ mobility hardware and software business, and the deployment and expansion of autonomous vehicles on Lyft’s network. The position reports to the Senior Director, Associate General Counsel, IP. It is hybrid, with an expectation to work in the office three days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Hybrid team members may work from anywhere for up to four weeks per year. The expected base pay range for the Washington, D.C. area is $161,920–$202,400, excluding potential equity, bonus, and benefits.

Requirements

At least 5 years of patent prosecution experience in a relevant area.
Experience advising on open source license compliance.
Membership in the Patent Bar and substantial understanding of patent law outside of litigation.
Juris Doctor degree required.
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, engineering, or an equivalent technical field.
State bar membership.
Eligibility to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Proactive, self-directed, detail-oriented, organized, and exceptional communication skills.
Adaptability and a positive approach under shifting priorities, with flexibility to move between deep legal work and high-volume counseling.
Demonstrated AI fluency and comfort using AI tools in day-to-day work.
Sense of humor and comfort with shifting priorities.

Nice To Haves

In-house patent portfolio building or management experience.

Responsibilities

Own the company’s patent portfolio end to end, including invention harvesting, invention disclosure meetings, portfolio mining, and directing outside patent counsel on application preparation and prosecution.
Drive patent strategy and make filing, continuation, and abandonment decisions based on technical merit, competitive landscape, and cost; manage portfolio health and reporting against product roadmaps.
Advise and collaborate with engineering on inbound and outbound open source license review and approval, including license compatibility and compliance risk.
Review papers, blog posts, conference talks, and other public technical disclosures for intellectual property and confidentiality risks, and provide related counseling.
Provide strategic and portfolio advice and counsel key stakeholders on protecting and defending intellectual property rights worldwide.
Support intellectual property diligence for partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and vendor relationships.
Train and educate product and engineering teams on intellectual property matters.
Build tools, policies, and processes that scale with the business.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance options, with additional programs available when enrolled.
Mental health benefits.
Family-building benefits.
Child care and pet benefits.
401(k) plan with company match.
12 observed holidays.
Discretionary paid time off for salaried team members; 15 days of paid time off for hourly team members.
18 weeks of paid parental leave for biological, adoptive, and foster parents.
Subsidized commuter benefits.
Monthly Lyft credits and complimentary Lyft Pink membership.
Potential equity offering and bonus.