Legal Counsel, Intellectual Property

Crusoe•San Francisco, CA

1d•$218,000 - $273,000

About The Position

Crusoe is seeking Intellectual Property Counsel to lead our IP function. Reporting to the VP of Tech, Growth Risk and Ops, this is a high-impact opportunity to build and scale an IP team at a well-funded, fast-growing technology company operating at the intersection of AI infrastructure, cloud computing, and clean energy. You will partner closely with Engineering, Product, and Business Development teams to identify, protect, and strategically leverage Crusoe's innovations while also managing IP risk across our commercial relationships and competitive landscape. This role is for a lawyer who thinks about IP not just as a legal function but as a business asset and someone who can translate engineering ingenuity into a durable competitive moat.

Requirements

Education & Bar: J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. state. USPTO registration (patent bar) strongly preferred.
Experience: 8–12+ years of IP legal experience, with a combination of top-tier law firm and in-house experience strongly preferred. Prior experience building or leading an IP function is a significant plus.
Technical Background: A degree or meaningful coursework in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related technical discipline strongly preferred. You should be comfortable engaging directly with engineers about how our systems and innovations actually work.
Patent Expertise: Deep experience in patent prosecution, portfolio strategy, and patent litigation management. Familiarity with AI, cloud infrastructure, semiconductor, or energy technology patents is a significant advantage.
Transactions Fluency: Strong drafting and negotiation skills across IP-intensive agreements — licenses, JDAs, NDAs, and M&A-related IP provisions.
AI & Emerging Tech Awareness: A genuine interest in and working knowledge of the rapidly evolving IP issues surrounding artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud infrastructure.
Open Source Knowledge: Solid understanding of open source licensing frameworks (GPL, MIT, Apache, etc.) and the strategic and legal implications of open source use and contribution.
Business Acumen: The ability to think like a business partner — understanding that the goal of IP is not just legal protection but competitive advantage and commercial value creation.
Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate complex IP concepts clearly to engineers, executives, and non-lawyers. You are a trusted advisor, not just a legal gatekeeper.
Startup Mindset: Comfort building in ambiguity. You are resourceful, self-directed, and energized by the opportunity to create structure where none yet exists.

Responsibilities

Patent Strategy & Portfolio Management: Develop and execute Crusoe's patent strategy from the ground up. Work closely with Engineering and Product teams to identify patentable innovations, manage outside patent counsel, and build a portfolio that protects Crusoe's core technology advantages.
IP Due Diligence & Transactions: Lead IP diligence and risk assessment for M&A transactions, strategic partnerships, and major commercial agreements. Advise on IP representations, warranties, and indemnification provisions.
Licensing & Commercialization: Draft, negotiate, and manage a wide range of IP-related agreements including technology licenses, cross-licenses, IP assignments, and joint development agreements (JDAs).
AI & Emerging Technology IP: Advise on the evolving and complex IP landscape surrounding AI-generated content, machine learning models, training data, and AI infrastructure—navigating one of the most consequential areas of modern law.
Open Source Governance: Develop and manage Crusoe's open source policy and compliance program, ensuring our use and contribution to open source software is strategically sound and legally compliant.
Trade Secret Protection: Design and implement programs to identify, protect, and enforce Crusoe's trade secrets and proprietary know-how across our vertically integrated operations.
IP Risk Management: Monitor the competitive IP landscape, conduct Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) analyses, and advise on design-arounds. Manage IP litigation and disputes in coordination with outside counsel.
Brand & Trademark Mastery: Oversee Crusoe's trademark portfolio globally, including clearance, registration, maintenance, and enforcement of the Crusoe brand across all markets.
Legal Operations & Education: Build scalable IP processes, playbooks, and internal training programs to help technical teams embed IP protection into their natural workflows.
Cross-Functional Advisory: Serve as a trusted advisor to Engineering, Product, and Business Development, embedding IP strategy into product development and corporate decision-making from the earliest stages.