Legal Counsel

Sky UK; Isleworth; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Intellectual Property Lawyer to join their dynamic team. In this role, you will provide expert legal counsel on IP matters, manage trademark portfolios, and collaborate with various stakeholders to mitigate risks and seize opportunities. This position offers a unique blend of cutting-edge legal work and the chance to grow within a vibrant and inclusive environment. With a focus on innovation and excellence, you will play a crucial role in protecting and enhancing the company's intellectual property assets. If you're passionate about IP law and eager to make an impact, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Discounted mobile and broadband

Sky Q for TV

Access to Sky VIP rewards

Subsidised gym

On-campus restaurants and cafes

Free shuttle buses

Bike shelters and showers

Cinema access

Beauty salon services

Qualifications

• 2+ years PQE in UK/EU IP law with a strong focus on trademark management.
• Experience in dispute resolution and IP licensing is essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice on IP risks and opportunities.
• Manage trademark portfolio and assist with IP licensing agreements.

Skills

Intellectual Property Law

Trademark Portfolio Management

Dispute Resolution

Strategic Thinking

Interpersonal Skills

Drafting Skills

Education

Qualified Lawyer (2+ years PQE)

Job description

Want to do the best work of your life? With 24 million customers in 6 countries, make your mark at Europe’s leading media and entertainment brand. A workplace where you can proudly be yourself; our people make Sky a truly exciting and inclusive place to work.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an Intellectual Property Lawyer to join Sky's UK Litigation, Anti-Piracy, and Intellectual Property team as Legal Counsel, to support all business areas. The role will report into Head Counsel of the UK Litigation, Anti-Piracy and IP team based in the UK. We strive for the highest standards, providing top-quality business-focused legal expertise to keep Sky competitive and bring better content and innovation to our customers.

Our team manages and protects (i) all SKY and non-Sky trademarks and brands globally and (ii) Sky’s patent and designs portfolios, while handling cases in various courts, including the CJEU, Supreme Court, and Court of Appeal, as well as activity in IP registries around the world.

The role requires close collaboration with legal and business colleagues and offers a wide variety of cutting-edge work and first-class opportunities for development and growth, both within the team and more broadly across the department.

What you’ll do:

• Provide expert analysis, strategic advice and business partnering to internal stakeholders (the business or other members of the legal team, including at senior levels) on potential IP risks, opportunities, and disputes with third parties and propose creative solutions.
• Advise on the use of Sky’s brands and assist with new brand risk assessment (trademark clearance).
• Lead on trademark portfolio management and development, including applications, oppositions, collating evidence, specification objections and renewals worldwide.
• Assist with the preparation and negotiation of IP licences and IP contract terms and the impacts for wider commercial and corporate deals.
• Support IP matters which have escalated to litigation or pre-action stage and coordinate with business/legal stakeholders.
• Retain, instruct, and manage outside law firms/counsel efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Build effective relationships with legal colleagues and the wider Sky businesses (including Sky Group and Comcast/NBCU).

What you’ll bring:

• 2+ years PQE or equivalent experience in UK/EU IP law within a highly regarded law firm or equivalent in-house.
• Trademark portfolio, IP advice and IP licensing experience.
• Dispute resolution/litigation experience and/or experience in IP registry office actions, ideally in multiple territorial jurisdictions.
• Ability to think critically and take a strategic approach to protect and grow Sky’s IP portfolio.
• Great team player, with strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to build rapport and establish trust and business partnering at all levels.
• Top quality drafting skills and the ability to project manage matters.
• A positive 'can do' attitude, an open inquiring mind and plenty of initiative.

The Rewards:

• Sky Q, for the TV you love all in one place
• Discounted mobile and broadband
• Access a wide range of best-in-class Sky VIP rewards and experiences

How You'll Work:

We know the world has changed, and we want to offer our employees the chance to collaborate at our outstanding office spaces, whilst enjoying the convenience of working from home. We've adopted a hybrid working approach to give more flexibility on where and how we work. You'll find out more about what this means for this role during the recruitment process.

Your Office Base:

Our Osterley Campus is a 10-minute walk from Syon Lane train station. Or you can hop on one of our free shuttle buses that run to and from Osterley, Gunnersbury, Ealing Broadway and South Ealing tube stations. There’s also plenty of bike shelters and showers.

On campus, you’ll find 13 subsidised restaurants, cafes, and a Waitrose. You can keep in shape at our subsidised gym, catch the latest shows and movies at our cinema, get your car washed and even get pampered at our beauty salon.

Inclusion:

At Sky we don’t just look at your CV. We’re more passionate about who you are and your potential. We also know that everyone has a life outside work, so we're happy to discuss flexible working. We are a Disability Confident Accredited Employer, and welcome and encourage applications from all candidates. We will look to ensure a fair and consistent experience for all, and will make reasonable adjustments to support you where appropriate. Please flag any adjustments you need to your recruiter as early as you can.

Why wait?

Apply now to build an amazing career and be part of a brilliant team. We can’t wait to hear from you. To find out more about working with us, search #LifeAtSky on social media. Just so you know: if your application is successful, we’ll ask you to complete a criminal record check. And depending on the role you have applied for and the nature of any convictions you may have, we might have to withdraw the offer.

There’s more to our work than work. We’ve built an inclusive culture where we can learn from each other and innovate together. There’s plenty of opportunities for you to explore what you’re passionate about.