Lead Counsel, Product and IP

Scale AI•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

Come join our legal team to work on the most exciting legal, policy, and operational issues at the leading edge of AI. We're seeking strong product lawyers with specialized expertise in intellectual property law. As product counsel, you will advise on all legal aspects of product development, launch, and operations - including regulatory compliance, user terms, and risk management - while bringing deep expertise in your specialized legal area. The ideal candidate will have deep subject matter expertise in intellectual property law, a technology background, and a demonstrable history of providing practical product counsel to solve complex, time-sensitive problems in close partnership with cross-functional teams.

Requirements

Experience: 5+ years of experience in intellectual property law at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house legal department (ideally product counseling within a high-growth technology company). Experience advising on broader product or regulatory matters is a plus.
Education: JD and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar (California preferred) in good standing.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to think strategically at a high level and from deep in the details to drive complex problem-solving and develop creative, business-forward solutions.
Risk Calibration: Ability to calibrate risk, distinguish business from legal risk, and communicate it clearly to executive, business, and technical audiences.
Collaboration: Roll-up-your-sleeves attitude to tackle projects large and small with a low-ego, collaborative approach across the organization.
Agility and Organization: Ability to think quickly in a fast-paced environment with excellent organizational and communication skills.
Technical Fluency: Deep interest in artificial intelligence, generative AI, and machine learning technology, with the ability to engage effectively with technical teams.

Responsibilities

Strategic Product Advice: Lead IP strategy for product development, embedding IP protection into the full product lifecycle from conception to commercialization, while also advising on related product and regulatory matters in collaboration with the broader legal team.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Research, Product, Engineering, Operations, Communications, and Marketing teams to mitigate IP risks in product development, data licensing, and open-source governance.
IP Counsel: Support management of Scale's worldwide IP portfolio including patents and trademarks; assist with patent prosecution and trademark registration and enforcement.
Risk Mitigation: Advise on third-party, synthetic, and open-source data and models, ensuring compliance with licensing requirements; design open-source governance policies.
Agreements: Support drafting and negotiation of commercial agreement provisions involving intellectual property.
Specialized Expertise: Provide counsel on machine learning, robotics, and other technical areas, with ability to engage effectively with technical teams on complex engineering and product issues.
Training: Develop and deliver IP and data licensing training to enhance Scale's compliance culture.