Intellectual Property Counsel

This role develops and executes comprehensive intellectual property strategy across patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters for AI-driven companies. The counsel acts as a strategic business partner embedded within product, engineering, and research teams, translating complex technical innovations into forward-looking IP protection that balances competitive differentiation with freedom to operate. They manage the full lifecycle from invention disclosure and patent prosecution to licensing negotiations and copyright risk mitigation, while building scalable IP processes and educating cross-functional teams on IP best practices. What distinguishes this from general corporate counsel is the deep technical fluency required—particularly in AI, machine learning, and emerging technology domains—and the focus on proactive IP harvesting and strategic portfolio development rather than reactive legal defense. These roles typically sit within lean, specialized legal teams at high-growth AI companies where the IP counsel operates with significant autonomy and direct influence over business outcomes.