Director & Associate General Counsel, Litigation and Compliance

Socket.dev; Bellevue (WA); Hybrid; USD 188,000 - 339,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Health insurance

401k employer matching

Relocation assistance

Paid family leave

Job summary

The Pokémon Company International is seeking a Director & Associate General Counsel, Litigation and Compliance to oversee litigation, IP enforcement, compliance, and employment law. This role sits at the center of strategic decisions affecting risk, branding, and operations globally, and involves leading a high-performing team within the Legal Leadership Team.

They will manage regulatory interactions, advise on complex matters, and shape the organization’s approach to risk while collaborating

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school; bar in good standing.
• 12+ years post-qualification experience with people management.
• Experience leading complex litigation, IP enforcement, and employment matters.
• In-house or law firm leadership across jurisdictions is preferred.
• Experience in entertainment, technology, games, or consumer products industries is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of litigation, including strategy and outside counsel coordination.
• Represent the company before regulators and agencies; mitigate risk.
• Oversee and improve corporate compliance programs and training initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure regulatory adherence and best practices.
• Lead IP enforcement efforts: trademarks, copyrights, and domain disputes.
• Advise on employment law issues and HR collaboration.
• Develop and manage a high-performing legal team and budgets for outside counsel.

Skills

People management

Litigation leadership

IP enforcement

Compliance programs

Employment law

Strategic mindset

Leadership

Regulatory affairs

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

Bar admission

Job description

Get to know The Pokémon Company International

The Pokémon Company International manages the Pokémon property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing and marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world.

Learn more online at corporate.pokemon.com and pokemon.com.

Job Title: Director & Associate General Counsel, Litigation and Compliance

Job Summary: We’re seeking an experienced legal leader to oversee litigation, IP enforcement, compliance, and employment law for one of the world's most recognized entertainment brands. This role sits at the center of significant business and legal decisions, providing strategic counsel on complex issues that impact the company’s brand, people, and operations globally. The successful candidate will help shape the organization’s approach to risk while leading high-profile matters with meaningful business impact. As a member of the Legal Leadership Team, they will also play a key role in developing talent and influencing the future direction of the legal function.

FLSA Classification (US Only): Exempt

People Manager: Yes

What you’ll do

• Lead and manage all aspects of litigation, including pre-litigation counseling and preparation, case strategy, and coordination with outside counsel.
• Represent TPCi before regulatory authorities and agencies. Develop proactive legal strategies and internal processes and policies to mitigate risk, support compliance and protect company interests across global operations.
• Oversee and continuously improve corporate compliance programs, including regulatory compliance, internal policies, and training initiatives.
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure adherence to evolving laws, regulations, and industry standards and best practices.
• Develop strategic recommendations and lead intellectual property enforcement efforts, including anti-counterfeiting, trademark protection, copyright enforcement, and domain name disputes.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to advise on high-profile legal, reputational and business risks, and safeguard the Pokémon brand worldwide.
• Provide strategic guidance on employment law issues, including employee relations, investigations, policy development, and workforce management.
• Advise on U.S. and international employment regulations and partner with HR to foster a compliant and inclusive workplace.
• Develop, nurture and manage a high-performing team, while maintaining a fun and supportive team environment.
• Interact regularly with business leaders and partners in the US and abroad on matters in the role’s remit, as well as on enterprise-level legal priorities that require cross-functional legal team alignment.
• Manage the broader Legal Department as a member of the Legal Leadership team (CLO and Legal Department Directors).
• Manage budgets for outside counsel and headcount for reporting teams, in consultation with the CLO.

What you’ll bring

• Minimum of 12+ years of post-qualification legal experience required, plus significant people management experience with two+ (2+) years minimum required.
• Proven expertise building, developing and leading high-performing teams.
• Significant in-house or law firm experience leading at least one of the following areas required, two or more preferred: complex litigation, IP enforcement, compliance, and/or labor and employment matters.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school or equivalent educational qualification.
• Bar license in good standing in Washington state or another jurisdiction is required. If not currently admitted to practice in Washington, qualified to seek admission to practice in Washington and successfully register with the Washington State Bar upon hire.
• An excellent understanding of litigation risk and a strategic and commercial mindset.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience building, developing and leading high-performing teams.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, and evolving environment.
• Enthusiasm to embrace challenges and solve hard problems with a sense of humor and compassion in support of nurturing and growing one of the world’s most beloved brands.
• Experience in entertainment, technology, games and/or consumer products industries, as well as experience working internationally or collaborating across cultures, is preferred.

Base Salary Range: For this role, new hires generally start between $188,000.00 - $250,000.00 per year. The full range is $188,000.00 - $339,000.00 per year. This range is applicable for the labor market where the role is intended to be hired. The final base salary is directly related to the candidate’s qualifications and professional experience uniquely.

How you’ll be successful

• Passion for Pokémon: Develops an understanding of the Pokémon brand, the impact it has on our people, culture, business, fans, and communities, and applying that knowledge and passion to everything you do.
• Challenging the Expected: Approaches challenges with curiosity and creativity, embracing the possibility of failure as an opportunity to learn something new, develop innovative ideas, solve complex problems and identify unique opportunities.
• Integrity and Respect: Demonstrates integrity and respect by leading with empathy, listening to others, seeking out different perspectives, and taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and results.
• Dedicated to Quality: Takes ownership to maintain and promote high standards, looks for new ways to learn and improve, and embraces a growth mindset to seek and apply feedback from others in an effort to continuously improve.
• Building Relationships: Develops and strengthens relationships, adopting a “team first” mentality and working collaboratively to solve problems and meet shared goals.
• Delighting Customers: Listens and understands the interests and needs of our customers and stakeholders, making them feel heard and important, and embracing these learnings to continue delivering a unique Pokémon experience.

What to expect

• An innovative culture driven by impact, delivering meaningful outcomes.
• Company events that celebrate the spirit of Pokémon.
• Competitive cash-based compensation programs.
• 100% employer-paid healthcare premiums for you.
• Generous paid family leave.
• Employer-paid life insurance.
• Employer-paid long and short-term income protection insurance.
• US Employees: 401k Employer Matching.
• UK/IRE/MX Employees: Pension Employer Contributions.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Commuter benefit.
• LinkedIn learning.
• Comprehensive relocation package for certain roles.
• Hybrid work environment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this role. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. For roles in the United Kingdom, candidates will need the right to work. In some cases, and for some roles, the Company may be able to arrange a visa. For roles in Ireland, this role requires candidates to have the right to live and work in the Republic of Ireland. However, we welcome applications from all nationalities and may consider supporting an employment permit application, in appropriate and suitable cases.

The Pokémon Company International is committed to the inclusion of all qualified applicants for consideration in our job application process. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application, pre-employment testing, or a job interview, or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact the Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].