Intellectual Property Legal Careers

Preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications with the USPTO while managing comprehensive patent portfolios for innovative companies. You'll conduct patentability assessments and prior art searches, draft patent specifications and claims, respond to office actions and examiner rejections, develop patent prosecution strategies aligned with business objectives, and advise on patent eligibility for processes, machines, compositions of matter, and emerging technologies. Your expertise helps clients secure meaningful patent protection while building strategic IP portfolios that support commercialization and competitive advantage.

Advising on trademark selection, clearance, registration, and enforcement while protecting copyrights and trade secrets. You'll conduct trademark availability searches and risk assessments, file trademark applications and manage prosecution, develop brand protection strategies and usage guidelines, register copyrights for creative works and software, and implement trade secret protection programs including confidentiality policies and proprietary information safeguards. Your counsel ensures comprehensive protection for brands, creative content, and confidential business information across digital and traditional channels.

Negotiating and drafting technology licensing agreements, patent licenses, trademark licenses, and software licensing arrangements. You'll structure exclusive and non-exclusive licenses, advise on royalty structures and payment terms, manage technology transfer from research to commercialization, handle collaboration agreements and joint development arrangements, and negotiate field-of-use restrictions and territorial limitations. Working with universities, research institutions, and commercial enterprises, you'll facilitate IP monetization strategies while protecting licensor rights and enabling licensee innovation.

Conducting IP due diligence for M&A transactions, investments, and strategic partnerships while providing strategic counsel on IP portfolio development and management. You'll perform IP audits and valuations, assess IP ownership and chain of title issues, advise on IP asset optimization and portfolio pruning, support IP assignments and transfers in corporate transactions, and develop IP strategies aligned with business goals and competitive positioning. Your analysis helps clients maximize IP value while identifying and mitigating IP-related risks in deals and operations.

Managing patent infringement litigation, trademark disputes, copyright enforcement actions, and trade secret misappropriation claims. You'll develop litigation strategies and coordinate with external counsel, handle cease and desist letters and infringement investigations, support IP challenges including inter partes reviews and oppositions, advise on IP enforcement options and risk mitigation, and manage licensing disputes and breach of contract claims. Your practical guidance protects client innovations while resolving IP conflicts efficiently through litigation, settlement, or alternative dispute resolution.