Director, Intellectual Property

Coherent Economics, LLC.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Coherent Economics seeks a Director to join our Illinois practice to lead IP-focused engagements, supervise teams, and act as a trusted client and expert contact. The role demands strategic design, execution, and oversight of complex projects with rigorous analytics and clear communication for legal audiences.

You will shape case strategy, mentor staff, and contribute to business development while upholding the firm's high standards in a fast-paced consulting environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in economic or litigation consulting.
• 3+ years independently managing intellectual property cases from inception through trial support.
• Experience developing damages analyses for patents, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks.
• Strong understanding of litigation processes and expert discovery.
• Advanced proficiency in Stata, Python, R, or SQL.
• Ability to translate complex analyses for legal and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple IP and other matters with strategic oversight.
• Oversee complex economic, financial, and statistical analyses.
• Define project scope, staffing plans, and workstreams to ensure efficient execution.
• Anticipate case needs and adjust analytical approaches as needed.
• Draft and review expert reports and materials for depositions and trial.
• Mentor Analysts and Consultants and foster junior staff development.
• Maintain client relationships and deliver high-quality work.

Skills

Economic consulting

Litigation consulting

Project management

Data analysis

Economic research

Team leadership

Tools

Stata

Python

R

SQL

Job description

We are seeking a Director to join Coherent Economics to support a wide range of client engagements, with a primary focus on intellectual property matters.

In this role, you will serve as a senior leader on client engagements and a trusted point of contact for both Clients and Experts. Directors are responsible for the strategic design, execution, and oversight of complex projects, ensuring analytical rigor, clarity of communication, and consistency of approach across all phases of an engagement. This role requires strong judgment, intellectual leadership, and full accountability for case outcomes and work product.

Directors at Coherent think critically not only about their own work, but also about the analyses and conclusions developed by their teams. You will play a central role in shaping case strategy, guiding methodological decisions, and drafting and reviewing expert reports and other deliverables. Directors are expected to anticipate challenges, identify risks, and ensure that all work meets the highest professional and technical standards.

Successful candidates will bring advanced expertise in project management, data analysis, and economic research, along with deep experience preparing and reviewing sophisticated, client-facing work product. Directors possess a strong working knowledge of the economic consulting industry and are comfortable balancing analytical depth with practical, client-oriented solutions.

In this role, you will also supervise and mentor Analysts and Consultants and foster the professional development of junior staff.

Project Ownership

• Lead multiple matters (intellectual property and others) simultaneously, balancing competing deadlines, staffing needs, and client expectations
• Design, oversee, and review complex economic, financial, and statistical analyses
• Define project scope, analytical frameworks, staffing plans, and workstreams to ensure efficient execution throughout the litigation lifecycle
• Anticipate case needs, identify potential risks, and proactively adjust analytical approaches as new information emerges
• Oversee the creation, auditing, and presentation of analyses, models, exhibits, and supporting materials used in expert reports, depositions, and trial

Intellectual Property Expertise

• Lead the development of damages analyses, including reasonable royalty, lost profits, unjust enrichment, convoyed sales, and other economic theories of recovery
• Evaluate licensing agreements, royalty structures, market dynamics, competitive conditions, and commercial success evidence
• Conduct and supervise financial, accounting, market, and economic research related to intellectual property valuation and damages
• Translate complex technical, financial, and economic concepts into clear, persuasive analyses suitable for legal and non-technical audiences
• Stay current on relevant case law, economic methodologies, and industry developments that impact intellectual property litigation

Expert Reports & Relationships

• Serve as a primary day-to-day contact for clients, outside counsel, and testifying experts
• Build and maintain trusted relationships by consistently delivering high-quality work and strategic insights
• Ensure all work product meets the firm's standards for accuracy, defensibility, documentation, and quality control
• Partner closely with experts to develop and refine opinions, case themes, and analytical approaches
• Support the firm's business development efforts through networking, conference participation, thought leadership, and other activities that enhance client relationships and market visibility
• Serve as a Personnel Manager, providing ongoing coaching, feedback, and career development guidance to team members
• Supervise Analysts and Consultants by delegating work effectively, managing workloads, and ensuring professional growth opportunities
• Train junior staff on economic theory, damages methodologies, litigation processes, and technical skills
• Foster an environment of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and high performance

Culture

• Participate actively in recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, and training initiatives
• Contribute to firm-building activities, committees, and operational initiatives as needed
• Embody and model for others the Coherent Economics Core and Workplace Values

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in economic consulting, litigation consulting, or a related field, with significant exposure to intellectual property matters
• 3+ years of experience independently managing intellectual property cases from inception through expert discovery and trial support
• Demonstrated experience developing damages analyses involving patents, trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, or other intellectual property disputes
• Strong understanding of litigation processes, expert discovery, and the role of economic evidence in disputes
• Previous management or mentorship experience preferred
• Advanced proficiency in Stata, Python, R, SQL, or similar analytical tools
• Ability to synthesize large and complex datasets into clear, defensible conclusions
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to producing error-free work product
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex analyses to attorneys, clients, and experts
• Strong project management, organizational, and leadership capabilities
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven consulting environment while managing multiple priorities simultaneously

A note on Artificial Intelligence:

• Coherent strongly encourages learning and innovation with AI. However, candidates may not use AI when interviewing with Coherent
• Coherent utilizes AI-enabled tools to help identify, screen, and assess candidates throughout the recruitment process. AI-generated insights are used to support decision-making, but employment decisions are never made by automated systems and remain the responsibility of our hiring team. By applying for a position with Coherent, you consent to the use of AI-assisted recruiting tools as part of the application review process.