Description:
Position Overview:A U.S.-Based Food Company seeks an Intellectual Property Counsel for its Legal and Corporate Affairs team located in Golden Valley, Minnesota. A U.S.-Based Food Company makes food the world loves. This position is focused on partnering with the business to acquire intellectual property rights, execute intellectual property related transactions, and to protect General Mills' substantial investment in its technologies. The attorney who fills this position will be part of a small and collaborative team which provides all aspects of intellectual property support to A U.S.-Based Food Company globally. An important part of this role will be leading the development and execution of IP strategies for assigned business and technology groups.
Key Accountabilities:
- Develop and execute future-looking IP strategies to support the company's substantial investments in new technologies
- Serve as a legal expert in intellectual property law, with a focus on patent and trade secret practice
- Work with limited direction to provide intellectual property related legal counsel to assigned business and technology groups
- Secure appropriate rights to protect technology investments, including patents, trade secrets, and other forms of intellectual property
- Draft and negotiate intellectual property-related agreements and IP provisions in relevant business agreements (including confidentiality agreements, technology license agreements, joint development agreements, and sourcing agreements)
- Support selected mergers and acquisitions activities
- Support intellectual property litigation and dispute resolution
- Develop, coordinate, and provide training for key employees on intellectual property matters
Minimum Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from a nationally accredited law school
- United States Patent Attorney Registration
- Bachelor's Degree or higher in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Microbiology, Food Science, or similar scientific discipline or a demonstrated record of successful patent preparation and prosecution in similar technology fields
- 4-6 years of experience as an attorney in intellectual property law
- Admitted (or willing to gain admission) to practice law in the state of Minnesota
- Excellent judgment, strong strategic, creative, and analytical thinking, experience-gained business acumen, and the ability to prioritize and work autonomously on multiple projects at the same time
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Breadth of IP experience (e.g., patent prosecution, opinion preparation, IP transactions, litigation support)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with database IP rights and patent preparation and prosecution in the areas of machine learning and artificial intelligence
- Experience with Copyrights and Copyright enforcement
- Mixture of law firm and in-house experience
