Corporate Counsel

1inch; Dubai; On-site; AED 400,000 - 650,000; Full time

Job summary

1inch is seeking a senior in-house IP counsel in Dubai to safeguard and expand our intellectual property portfolio, while supporting M&A, group reorganizations, and corporate governance. You will structure protections across our technology stack and oversee day-to-day corporate documentation in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

You will work with engineering, IT, finance and marketing across jurisdictions to protect innovations and ensure compliant, efficient evolution of our group

Qualifications

• Seven-plus years of legal experience focusing on intellectual property.
• Experience leading patent strategy and portfolio development with engineers.
• Proven track record supporting M&A and group reorganizations from an IP perspective.

Responsibilities

• Manage global IP portfolio including patents, trademarks, and trade secrets.
• Advise on open-source licensing and branding protections; train teams on IP rights, risks, and safeguards.
• Coordinate global filings, enforcement, and oppositions with external counsel.

Skills

Intellectual Property

Patent strategy

M&A support

Group restructurings

Governance

Cross-border coordination

Stakeholder management

Education

JD/LLB

Job description

1inch is the DeFi ecosystem building financial freedom for everyone. 1inch products help users and builders trade, hold and track digital assets - with the self-custody, comprehensive security and the intuitive user experience they need to unlock the potential of true crypto ownership. 1inch protocols and APIs provide core infrastructure across the DeFi industry and beyond. So if you're someone who thinks big, moves fast and wants to make an impact right from day one, then get ready to join our industry-changing team.

Your mission

Join our global legal team to safeguard and develop 1inch’s intellectual property portfolio while supporting M&A, group reorganizations, corporate governance and wider corporate legal needs. You will structure protections across our technology stack, coordinate intellectual property matters in strategic transactions and oversee day-to-day corporate legal documentation. Working with engineering, IT, finance and marketing teams across multiple jurisdictions, you will help protect our innovations and support the compliant, efficient evolution of our group structure.

What you’ll do

• Manage and develop the global intellectual property portfolio, including patents, trademarks and trade secrets.
• Advise on open-source licensing, software intellectual property and brand protection, and train teams on related rights, risks and safeguards.
• Establish internal intellectual property registration, review and risk procedures, coordinating global filings, enforcement and oppositions with external counsel.
• Advise on intellectual property structuring in group reorganizations and corporate transactions, including due diligence, integration and post-closing matters.
• Draft and negotiate intellectual property assignments, licences and transition agreements, and assess related risks in strategic transactions.
• Coordinate cross-border legal input with internal stakeholders and advisers.
• Draft and review commercial, vendor and procurement contracts, including NDAs, service agreements and licensing agreements.
• Support entity management, governance filings, director and shareholder resolutions, board and shareholder processes, intercompany arrangements and funding documentation.
• Maintain legal-entity databases and document repositories, monitor relevant legal developments and support policies, controls and group-wide compliance with applicable corporate laws and regulations.
• Collaborate with engineering, IT, finance and marketing teams, educate business stakeholders and help scale legal operations and knowledge-sharing while providing clear advice under time pressure.

Who you are

• You have at least seven years of legal experience, with a focus on intellectual property.
• You have managed patent strategy and portfolio development, working with engineers to identify patentable innovations, prepare technical disclosures and guide applications through national and international filing procedures.
• You have a proven record of supporting M&A and group reorganizations from an intellectual property perspective.
• You are familiar with global entity structuring, general corporate contracts and governance.
• You have a strong command of intellectual property law across jurisdictions, particularly Dubai local law and US Patent law.
• You can connect high-level strategy with detailed delivery, develop pragmatic solutions through weighted risk analysis and translate legal obligations into operational processes and controls.
• You can navigate legal ambiguity in fast-changing technical environments and manage multiple important initiatives under time pressure.
• You bring strong critical-thinking, synthesis and communication skills, with the ability to persuade and influence internal and external stakeholders.
• You are collaborative, practical and solutions-oriented, and can balance legal risk with commercial realities.
• You are a proactive self-starter who can work autonomously across time zones.

Nice to haves

• Experience combining law-firm practice with an in-house role at a technology company.
• Experience developing internal frameworks for intellectual property identification and inventor-contribution workflows in a scaling technology organization.
• Experience leading the patent-prosecution lifecycle, including prior‑art searches, claim drafting, office‑action responses and coordination with local agents in jurisdictions such as the USPTO and EPO.
• Familiarity with crypto, DeFi or open‑source ecosystems.

1inch is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to evaluating all candidates on the basis of their skills, experience, and potential — regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, religion, disability, or any other characteristic. We believe diverse teams build better products, and we welcome applications from all backgrounds.