Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property

Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property: Become the Newest Member of the VF Family

We are seeking a business-oriented attorney with intellectual property legal experience to join our team.  The Senior Counsel, Intellectual Property, will lead a team of paralegals and assistants and partner closely with the supervising attorney, VF brand business teams and Legal Department colleagues to provide strategic oversight for the intellectual property of several brands in VF’s portfolio, while also contributing to overall management of VF’s trademark office. 

How You Will Make a Difference: 

• Serves as lead intellectual property legal partner to VF emerging brands and selected core brands. 
• Leads team of paralegals and assistants to provide comprehensive, consistent intellectual property support (including on trademark, copyright, patent, trade dress matters) to brand teams.
• Develops and executes strategy for protection and enforcement of worldwide intellectual property rights including trademarks, copyrights, patents, domain names and licensing.
• Develops strong partnerships with brand teams and Legal Department colleagues to understand business objectives, protect brand identity, enforce intellectual property rights, and assess portfolio strengths, risks, and needs.
• Reviews and analyzes trademark searches to determine availability; makes strategic decisions on new trademark filings, opposing/cancelling third-party applications/registrations, and defending trademark applications opposed by third parties.
• Negotiates settlement of trademark disputes.
• Advises, drafts, and negotiates intercompany, trademark license, coexistence, and consent agreements.
• Provides IP legal support for corporate restructuring projects and initiatives for International Tax and Mergers & Acquisitions.
• Acts as primary IP attorney having day to day responsibility for patent, trademark, and copyright matters, including managing the VF patent and trademark portfolios, preparation, prosecution, counseling, clearance, due diligence, and enforcement, with a particular emphasis on infringing knockoff products and online enforcement.
• Evaluates, protects, and prosecutes new product innovations through all applicable IP protection and develops global internal processes for same.
• Develops and delivers training for product and marketing teams on IP principles, risks and clearance process.
• Develops and delivers training for research and development and other employees on patent-related matters, and engages with other law department colleagues on additional legal training as may be needed or desired.
• Reviews and authorizes third party invoices, partnering with controller and supervising attorney to ensure adherence to budget.
• Actively involved in special projects as needed, such as selecting third party vendors for IP management databases and other technology.

Qualifications

• Conduct freedom to operate and infringement assessments as necessary
• Ability to balance legal risks with practical realities of the business when providing legal advice and guidance
• Significant experience with design patents is preferred
• Ability to understand the technical aspects of VF’s products
• Ability to manage legal issues in a cost effective and practical manner
• Ability to work and interact with management and others at all levels
• Strong leadership and relationship building skills that lead to successful development, implementation, and improvement of legal processes across functions/organizations
• Ability to proactively establish credibility and trust as a business-oriented attorney, trusted advisor, change agent, and legal partner with strong cross functional perspective
• Ability to work independently, as part of the on-site team, and as part of a broader, off-site legal team
• Preference for candidates with consumer products experience
• Experience with managing global patent (design and utility) portfolios, patent preparation and prosecution, patent search and clearance, and communicating legal risk to client leadership
• Member of at least one state bar and admitted to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Responsibilities

• Exhibits a strong cross functional mindset
• Manage outside counsel and align with Business Area leader to develop and manage an external budget for outside counsel
• Manage internal IP paralegal(s)
• Timely communication of legal risks to the business and within the law department

Years of Related Professional Experience: 10+ years

Educational/ Position Requirements: