Counsel, Patents & IP

Lyft; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 162,000 - 202,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great medical, dental, and vision

Mental health benefits

Family building benefits

Child care benefits

401(k) plan with company match

Paid time off: 12 holidays + PTO

18 weeks paid parental leave

Subsidized commuter benefits

Company Pink membership

Job summary

Lyft seeks a senior patent leader to oversee the company’s patent portfolio and strategy, collaborating closely with engineers and researchers to advance IP goals. The role includes advising on open source, reviewing publications for IP risk, and guiding global strategy across partnerships, acquisitions, and tech deployments.

JD required with a strong technical background (BS/MS in CS/Engineering) and active Patent Bar status.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of patent prosecution experience.
• Experience in-house patent portfolio management is a plus.
• Must be a member of the Patent Bar and able to practice before USPTO.
• Proactive, detail oriented, organized, and strong communicator.
• Experience advising on open source license compliance.
• Comfort working with engineers and researchers in a hybrid setting.
• Familiarity with AI tools in daily practice.

Responsibilities

• Own the patent portfolio end to end: invention harvesting, disclosures, and prosecution oversight.
• Drive patent strategy, filing decisions, and portfolio health aligned to product roadmaps.
• Counsel on open source license reviews and compliance risk.
• Review public disclosures for IP risk and confidentiality concerns.
• Provide strategic IP guidance across the business and for partnerships or M&A.
• Educate product and engineering teams on IP matters and build scalable processes.

Skills

Patent portfolio management

Communication skills

AI fluency

Collaborative relationship building

Adaptability

Education

JD

BS/MS in CS/Engineering

Job description

At the company, our purpose is to serve and connect. We aim to achieve this by cultivating a work environment where all team members belong and have the opportunity to thrive.

This position will manage the company's patent function — driving the strategy and day-to-day management of our patent portfolio — while also advising on the company's approach to open source, reviewing technical publications before they go external, and serving as a trusted advisor on IP questions across the business. This position will report to the Senior Director, Associate General Counsel, IP. Beyond the legal chops, we're looking for someone who genuinely enjoys building relationships — you'll spend as much time with engineers and researchers as you will with lawyers, so a warm, curious, low-ego style goes a long way here. We value people who can make patent law feel approachable rather than intimidating, who bring a sense of humor to a fast-moving environment, and who are as excited about celebrating an inventor's first disclosure as they are about closing out a tricky filing decision. This is a great opportunity for someone to come in and manage the patent function at the company, working on cutting‑edge issues spanning the company's global expansion, the company Urban Solutions' mobility hardware and software business, and supporting the deployment and expansion of autonomous vehicles on the company's network.

Responsibilities:

• Own the patent portfolio end to end for the company — invention harvesting, invention disclosure meetings, portfolio mining, and directing patent application preparation and prosecution by outside patent counsel.

• Drive patent strategy and drive filing, continuation, and abandonment decisions based on technical merit, competitive landscape, and cost, and own portfolio health and reporting against product roadmaps.

• Counsel and collaborate with engineering on open source license review and approval for inbound and outbound open source, including license compatibility and compliance risk.

• Review papers, blog posts, conference talks, and other public technical disclosures for IP and confidentiality risk and relevant counseling.

• Provide broad-based strategic and portfolio advice as well as counseling key stakeholders in protecting and defending IP rights worldwide.

• Support IP diligence for partnerships, M&A, and vendor relationships.

• Train and educate product and engineering teams in intellectual property matters, and build tools, policies, and processes that scale with the business.

Experience:

• 5+ years of patent prosecution experience in a relevant area; in‑house patent portfolio building/management experience a plus.

• Experience advising on open source license compliance.

• Must be a member of the Patent Bar and have substantial understanding of patent law outside litigation.

• Must be proactive, self‑directed, detail oriented, organized, and have exceptional communication skills.

• Adaptable and positive under shifting priorities, with the flexibility to move between deep legal work and lighter‑touch, high‑volume counseling on any given day.

• Demonstrate AI fluency and comfort using AI tools in day‑to‑day work.

• JD required.

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent technical field.

• State bar membership.

• Eligible to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office.

• Sense of humor and comfort with shifting priorities.

**Benefits:**

• Great medical, dental, and vision insurance options with additional programs available when enrolled

• Mental health benefits

• Family building benefits

• Child care and pet benefits

• 401(k) plan with company match to help save for your future

• In addition to 12 observed holidays, salaried team members have discretionary paid time off, hourly team members have 15 days paid time off

• 18 weeks of paid parental leave. Biological, adoptive, and foster parents are all eligible

• Subsidized commuter benefits

• Monthly the company credits and complimentary the company Pink membership

the company is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace that fosters belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

the company highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. This role will be in-office on a hybrid schedule — Team Members will be expected to work in the office 3 days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. the company considers working in the office at least 3 days per week to be an essential function of this hybrid role. Your recruiter can share more information about the various in-office perks the company offers. Additionally, hybrid roles have the flexibility to work from anywhere for up to 4 weeks per year. #Hybrid

The expected base pay range for this position in the Seattle area is $161,920 - $202,400, not inclusive of potential equity offering, bonus or benefits. Salary ranges are dependent on a variety of factors, including qualifications, experience and geographic location. Your recruiter can share more information about the salary range specific to your working location and other factors during the hiring process.