Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property

Vanguard; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard seeks an experienced Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, to lead a broad IP portfolio and advise on patent strategy, trade secret governance, and technology-related agreements. The role requires collaboration with business and technology teams and oversight of outside counsel.

You will help manage risk across emerging technologies, lead complex negotiations, and support training and governance initiatives within the Office of the General Counsel.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of legal experience; minimum 8 years in IP.
• Undergraduate degree and JD.
• Admission to practice before the USPTO.
• Experience with patent and trade secret counseling and US/foreign portfolio management.
• Experience drafting and negotiating IP and technology-related agreements.
• Experience using enterprise-approved AI tools to support legal work.
• Ability to balance business and legal needs and manage multiple projects; strong leadership and collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Advise on IP protection strategies for company innovations, including patents and trade secrets.
• Manage Vanguard's global patent portfolio and outside counsel.
• Support trade secret governance and risk management initiatives.
• Negotiate technology transactions, collaborations, and strategic partnerships.
• Advise on IP issues in commercial, procurement, and strategic transactions.
• Assess IP risks related to emerging tech and third-party relationships.
• Oversee IP dispute matters and coordinate with stakeholders.

Skills

Patent portfolio

Trade secrets

Technology transactions

Legal research

Negotiation

Leadership

Communication

Education

JD/LLB

Tools

AI tools

Job description

Vanguard's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) addresses a wide range of complex and compelling legal and compliance issues. To continue to support its growing business, Vanguard is seeking an attorney in its Intellectual Property, Marketing and Communications Legal Team. As Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, you will be responsible for a broad portfolio of intellectual property legal matters, including global patent portfolio management, trade secret protection and governance, technology transactions, research collaborations, and technology-focused intellectual property risk management.

In this role you will

• Advise business and technology teams on intellectual property protection strategies for company innovations, including patent protection, trade secret protection, defensive publication, and other approaches to protecting and preserving intellectual property assets
• Support management of Vanguard's global patent portfolio and oversight of outside patent counsel
• Support trade secret identification, protection, governance, and risk-management initiatives
• Negotiate and advise on technology transactions, research collaborations, and strategic partnerships
• Advise internal business teams and OGC colleagues on intellectual property issues arising in commercial, technology, procurement, and strategic transactions
• Assess and mitigate intellectual property risks associated with emerging technologies, third-party relationships, and internal technology development initiatives
• Assess and manage patent infringement allegations, trade secret misappropriation claims, pre-litigation IP disputes, IP litigation matters, and IP dispute settlement strategies, including oversight of outside counsel and coordination with business stakeholders
• Support development of templates, playbooks, governance frameworks, and training designed to strengthen intellectual property protection and risk management across the organization

What it takes

• Minimum of 10 years of related legal experience; minimum of 8 years of professional intellectual property experience
• Undergraduate degree and Law degree (JD)
• Admission to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• Experience with patent and trade secret counseling and U.S. and foreign patent portfolio management
• Experience with drafting and negotiating intellectual property and technology-related agreements
• Experience using enterprise-approved artificial intelligence tools responsibly and effectively to support legal research, analysis, drafting, and efficient delivery of legal services
• Ability to balance business and legal needs and manage multiple projects at one time
• Exceptional leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Consistent track record of success serving and navigating relationships with internal and/or external parties, including influencing, counseling and negotiating with others
• Ability to communicate effectively, influence, and build agreement with senior leaders and across a matrixed organization

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission- we’re on a mission. To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.