Intellectual Property

Harman•Richardson, TX

1d•$125,250 - $183,700•Hybrid

About The Position

The IP Counsel role is an attorney position responsible for providing IP legal and/or business guidance and support to the Lifestyle Division. This position will report directly to senior members of the legal team and work closely and strategically with the legal team to support matters impacting the Lifestyle Division. The successful candidate must be able to timely complete critical assignments with little supervision and have a good understanding of HARMAN’s business objectives. The IP Counsel will support by negotiating and drafting agreements, consulting with and advising internal clients, researching and analyzing legal issues, executing legal projects or initiatives, and providing strategic legal advice on legal issues that contribute to division or SBU market share growth or minimize risk of financial loss or company good will. The IP Counsel will serve as the liaison for the SBU and division. A basic level of contract review, drafting, and negotiation experience related to multi-million-dollar agreements is required. The successful candidate will also have strong communication skills for interfacing with key customers and senior legal leadership. This role will support senior attorneys by providing strategic, practical advice and counsel on various business issues and IP legal issues, as well as assist with litigation and corresponding outside counsel law firms and legal service providers.

Requirements

Juris Doctor and Bar admission (or equivalent in jurisdiction).
Must be able to demonstrate a basic level of analytic and project management skills, task-focused, works on own initiative to get things done, is able to work under pressure, and manage multiple stakeholders.
Must have hands-on transactional experience including, but not limited to drafting, reviewing, and negotiating IP licensing agreements, acquisitions and divestitures and related agreements.
An understanding of patents, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets to develop and counsel clients on protection, risk avoidance, and enforcement strategies.
Exercises good judgement and sound decision making.
5+ years of relevant (generally in-house or law firm) experience and a law degree from law school.
5+ years of specialized experience in intellectual property.
Effectively prioritizes, delegates, supervises, and monitors work carried out by external legal resources or non-legal project teams to ensure high quality and timely delivery.
Identifies potential legal and compliance issues and consults with senior attorneys to identify a solution.
Effectively manage and execute IP related projects.
Takes initiative to develop or improve internal company guidance documents, using legal know-how for the benefit of the business and/or legal department.
Able to translate legal issues for business clients and explain in a comprehensible manner; possesses diplomacy skills.
Able to communicate effectively and enable the sharing of information and resources across the legal team for the collective benefit of the division or SBU.
Networks in the legal industry.
Is approachable and makes time to support colleagues.
Seeks regular feedback and discusses primary client business needs to fully understand business drivers from the beginning.
Prioritizes resource and effort around key client business deliverables.
Uses legal experience and knowledge to anticipate client business need and seeks to add value.

Nice To Haves

Takes initiative to contribute to the improvement of internal processes.
Effectively uses technology and other resources to achieve the most efficient delivery.
Takes ownership of tasks seeking guidance and input from others as appropriate.
Fluency in Mandarin Chinese (written and spoken) preferred.
Demonstrated knowledge of Chinese intellectual property laws, regulations, and enforcement practices, including trademark, patent, copyright, and anti-counterfeiting matters.

Responsibilities

Reviewing, drafting, and negotiating a wide variety of IP related agreements and amendments, including licenses, marketing, joint development, technology transfers, NDAs, assignments, coexistence and settlement agreements in coordination with the legal team.
Collaborate with the legal team and outside counsel to provide practical, creative legal advice and instructions on a broad range of topics based on technology/product and roadmaps, corporate strategy, and global portfolio decisions in a fast-paced, high growth environment.
Working closely with the legal team to support the teams charged with generating business and proactively establishing relationships across the legal team and with other departments including operations, marketing, finance, product, sales, and engineering, among others.
Support various members of the legal department with corporate, MD&A including IP due diligence, IP portfolio management, litigation and dispute resolution, and other legal matters.
Provides specialist legal support in terms of consulting and advising internal clients, developing strategic partnerships, coordinating with external counsel on case strategy, negotiating with contractors, and/or representing the company in important legal matters.
Promptly and effectively addresses unforeseen legal risks if they arise and communicates to legal colleagues within the legal department in a timely manner; processes, uncertain, or incomplete information quickly to identify potential implications for the business.
Provide counseling and other legal support for division or SBU with new production introduction, research and development, and encouraging innovation.
Negotiates and drafts contracts for SBU or division as assigned by the senior attorneys.
Collaborates with other legal and compliance staff and organizational partners to develop and provide trainings; develop, update and maintain templates, negotiation resources and playbooks.
Contributes to development and implementation of scale commercial legal processes.
Other duties as assigned.