Patent and Intellectual Property Counsel

Quick Facts

Lead the patent function with end-to-end portfolio ownership, while advising on open source licensing and broader IP questions across the business.

Description

Own the company’s patent portfolio—driving patent strategy and day-to-day management, advising engineering and business stakeholders on IP topics, and reviewing public technical disclosures for IP and confidentiality risk.

Responsibilities

• Own the patent portfolio end to end: invention harvesting, invention disclosure meetings, portfolio mining, and directing patent application preparation and prosecution by outside patent counsel.
• Drive patent strategy and make filing, continuation, and abandonment decisions based on technical merit, competitive landscape, and cost; maintain portfolio health and reporting aligned to product roadmaps.
• Collaborate with engineering on open source license review and approval for inbound and outbound open source, including license compatibility and compliance risk.
• Review public technical disclosures (papers, blog posts, conference talks, etc.) for IP and confidentiality risk and provide counseling.
• Provide strategic portfolio advice and counsel stakeholders on protecting and defending IP rights worldwide.
• Support IP diligence for partnerships, M&A, and vendor relationships.
• Train and educate product and engineering teams on IP matters; build scalable tools, policies, and processes.

Requirements

• 5+ years of patent prosecution experience in a relevant area (in-house patent portfolio management experience is a plus).
• Member of the Patent Bar; substantial understanding of patent law outside of litigation.
• Experience advising on open source license compliance.
• JD required; BS or MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent technical field.
• State bar membership; eligible to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office.
• Proactive, self-directed, detail oriented, organized, and able to communicate exceptionally well.
• Comfortable with shifting priorities; able to balance deep legal work with high-volume, lighter-touch counseling.
• AI fluency and comfort using AI tools in day-to-day work.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance options with additional programs
• Mental health benefits
• Family building benefits
• Child care and pet benefits
• 401(k) plan with company match
• 12 observed holidays plus discretionary paid time off (salaried) or 15 days paid time off (hourly)
• 18 weeks paid parental leave for biological, adoptive, and foster parents
• Subsidized commuter benefits
• Monthly Lyft credits and complimentary Lyft Pink membership