IP Legal Counsel

Vuly Play; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff perks: Generous discounts on our

Job summary

Vuly Play, a leader in outdoor play equipment, is seeking an experienced IP Legal Counsel to guide its IP function from Hong Kong. You will manage patents, trademarks, copyrights, and domains, advise on strategy, and work with engineering teams across Asia-Pacific.

The role requires a qualified lawyer or patent attorney with a technical background, strong drafting, negotiation skills, and ability to collaborate with global partners.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer or patent attorney registered in at least one major jurisdiction.
• Technical background in engineering or related discipline.
• Experience managing multi-category IP portfolios in-house or private practice.

Responsibilities

• Manage a multi-jurisdictional IP portfolio across patents, trade marks, copyright, and domain names.
• Draft, file, and manage patent applications across Australia and international jurisdictions (PCT, EPO, CNIPA, HK Patents Registry).
• Oversee patent prosecution, oppositions, renewals, and portfolio maintenance.
• Conduct prior art, FTO, validity, and infringement reviews; produce clear internal reports.
• Monitor competitor patent activity and maintain an up-to-date IP database.
• Review, draft, and negotiate NDAs, licensing agreements, MOU/POA, and supply contracts.
• Provide legal advice on IP strategy, risk, confidentiality, ownership, and invention capture.
• Manage relationships with external IP firms across jurisdictions.

Skills

Engineering background

IP strategy

Negotiation

Contract drafting

Stakeholder management

English & Mandarin

Education

Qualified lawyer or patent attorney

Job description

Vuly Play is a global leader in outdoor play equipment, renowned for its innovation, premium design, and relentless drive to reimagine play. Headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, we create the world’s best trampolines, monkey bars, swing sets, and more — and we’re always pushing the boundaries of product development.

With operations spanning Australia, the USA, Europe, Malaysia, and China, we are growing fast and building out our international team to match.

The Opportunity

We are looking for an experienced IP Legal Counsel with a background in engineering or a technical discipline to lead and grow Vuly’s intellectual property function from our Hong Kong base.

This is a broad, commercially-facing in-house IP role - not a pure patent drafting position. You will manage a diverse portfolio spanning patents, trade marks, copyright, and domain names; advise the business on IP strategy, risk, and commercial matters; and work directly with engineering, product, and leadership teams across Brisbane, KL, China, and Hong Kong to build genuine IP advantage.

The role also covers broader legal support including reviewing, drafting, and negotiating NDAs, licensing agreements, MOU/POA and commercial contracts.

Why Hong Kong?

Hong Kong sits at the centre of Vuly’s Asia-Pacific operations, offering excellent proximity to our manufacturing and R&D activities in China and our growing team in Malaysia. The city’s strong IP legal framework, international connectivity, and access to both CNIPA and WIPO filing channels make it an ideal base for managing our global IP portfolio. We are establishing a genuine regional IP function here, with strong links back to our Brisbane headquarters.

Key Responsibilities

Manage a multi-jurisdictional IP portfolio spanning patents, trade marks, copyright, and domain names.

Draft, file, and manage patent applications across Australia and relevant international jurisdictions, including via PCT, EPO, CNIPA, and the Hong Kong Patents Registry.

Oversee patent prosecution, oppositions, renewals, and portfolio maintenance across all active territories.

Conduct prior art, freedom-to-operate, validity, and infringement reviews; prepare clear, actionable reports for internal stakeholders.

Monitor competitor patent activity and key technical areas for risk of infringement; maintain an up-to-date IP database.

Legal Advisory & Commercial Support

Review, draft, and negotiate commercial agreements including NDAs, licensing agreements, MOU, POA, and supply contracts.

Provide legal advice to the business on IP strategy, risk, confidentiality, ownership, and invention capture processes.

Support corporate compliance, operational, and regulatory matters as they intersect with IP.

Conduct legal research and investigate cases involving legal and regulatory issues.

Manage relationships with external IP firms and lawyers across multiple jurisdictions.

Stakeholder Engagement

Work closely with product, engineering, and leadership teams (across HK, Brisbane, KL, and China) to align IP protection with commercial priorities.

Support disputes, enforcement matters, and licensing discussions as required.

Maintain accurate IP records, filing deadlines, and portfolio reporting.

What We’re Looking For

Qualified lawyer and/or patent attorney registered in at least one major jurisdiction (China, UK, Australia, US, EPO, or equivalent).

Technical background in Engineering, Optoelectronics, Electronics, Industrial Design, or a closely related discipline.

Solid experience managing multi-category IP portfolios (patents, trade marks, copyright, and/or domain names) in-house or in private practice.

Demonstrated ability to draft, review, and negotiate commercial legal documents including NDAs, licensing agreements, and MOU.

Experience conducting patentability, validity, FTO, and infringement assessments and producing clear written reports.

Commercially-minded, with strong stakeholder management, written communication, and practical legal judgement.

Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines across jurisdictions simultaneously.

Business-level English and Mandarin (written and spoken).

Nice-to-Have

Hong Kong Permanent Resident or existing right to work in Hong Kong.

Experience in consumer products, IoT, smart devices, medical devices, photovoltaics, or related manufacturing sectors.

Familiarity with Hong Kong’s patent system, including the Original Grant Patent (OGP) and re-registration routes.

Experience managing international patent portfolios, particularly across China (CNIPA), Australia, and the US.

Exposure to trade marks, designs, licensing, disputes, or broader IP advisory work.

In-house legal or commercial environment experience.

Cantonese or French language ability is an advantage.

Why Join Vuly?

Global IP scope: Manage a genuine international patent portfolio spanning Australia, North America, Europe, and Asia - not just local filings.

Tangible products: Work on exciting, physical products that families around the world love, from premium trampolines to next-generation smart play equipment.

Regional hub: Be part of Vuly’s growing Hong Kong presence, with strong connectivity to our Brisbane HQ, KL operations, and China manufacturing partners.

Great culture: Join a collaborative, energetic team in a fast-growing global brand that takes its products seriously but doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Competitive salary and career growth: Clear progression opportunities and a remuneration package benchmarked to the HK IP market.

Staff perks: Generous discounts on our award-winning play equipment.

Ready to Play a Part in Our Success?