Intellectual Property

Harman; Richardson (TX); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 184,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

paid vacation and holidays

Health Savings

Retirement savings plan with employer

Tuition reimbursement support

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

HARMAN Lifestyle seeks an IP Counsel to provide strategic IP guidance across the Lifestyle Division. You will draft and negotiate IP agreements, advise internal clients, and collaborate with external counsel to protect and grow the portfolio.

The role reports to senior legal leadership in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Ideal candidates have JD, bar admission, 5+ years IP experience, and strong negotiation and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor and Bar admission required.
• Hands-on transactional experience including IP licensing, acquisitions and related agreements.
• 5+ years of IP experience in in-house or law firm settings.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft, and negotiate IP related agreements for the SBU or division.
• Provide strategic IP guidance to internal clients and senior leadership.
• Collaborate with outside counsel on case strategy and diligence.
• Support IP portfolio management, litigation and disputes as needed.

Skills

IP licensing experience

Negotiation with outside counsel

Communication with senior leadership

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor

Bar admission

5+ years IP experience

Job description

Description & Requirements

Introduction: A Career at HARMAN Lifestyle

We're a global, multi-disciplinary team that's putting the innovative power of technology to work and transforming tomorrow. As a member of HARMAN Lifestyle, you connect consumers with the power of superior sound.

• Contribute your talents to high-end, esteemed brands like JBL, Mark Levinson and Revel
• Unite your passion for audio innovation with high-tech product development
• Create pitch-perfect, cutting-edge technology that elevates the listening experience

What You'll Be Part Of

The IP Counsel role is an attorney position and is responsible for providing IP legal and/or business guidance and support to a business division, the Lifestyle Division. This position will report directly to senior members of the legal team. The Lifestyle IP Counsel will also work closely and strategically with the legal team to support matters impacting the Lifestyle Division. The successful candidate must be able to timely complete critical assignments with little supervision. The Lifestyle IP Counsel must also have a good understanding of HARMAN's business objectives. The Lifestyle IP Counsel will support with the following: negotiating and drafting agreements for the SBU or division, consult with and advise internal clients, research and analyze legal issues, execute legal projects or initiatives, and provide strategic legal advice on legal issues that contribute and grow division or SBU market share or minimize division or SBU risk of financial loss or company good will. The Lifestyle IP Counsel will serve as the liaison for the SBU and division.

Basic level of contract review, drafting, and negotiation experience related to multi-million-dollar agreements is required. Additionally, the successful candidate will have strong communication skills for purposes of interfacing with key customers and senior legal leadership. This role will also support senior attorneys by providing strategic, practical advice and counsel on various business issues and IP legal issues; as well as assist with litigation and corresponding outside counsel law firms and legal service providers.

Your Team

This attorney position will work closely and strategically with the legal team and support divisional and/or SBU clients.

How You'll Make An Impact

Managing Legal and Business Risk

• Reviewing, drafting, and negotiating a wide variety of IP related agreements and amendments, including licenses, marketing, joint development, technology transfers, NDAs, assignments, coexistence and settlement agreements in coordination with the legal team.
• Collaborate with the legal team and outside counsel to provide practical, creative legal advice and instructions on a broad range of topics based on technology/product and roadmaps, corporate strategy, and global portfolio decisions in a fast-paced, high growth environment.
• Working closely with the legal teamto support the teams charged with generating business and proactively establishing relationships across the legal team and with other departments including operations, marketing, finance, product, sales, and engineering, among others.
• Support various members of the legal department with corporate, MD&A including IP due diligence, IP portfolio management, litigation and dispute resolution, and other legal matters.
• Provides specialist legal support in terms of consulting and advising internal clients, developing strategic partnerships, coordinating with external counsel on case strategy, negotiating with contractors, and/or representing the company in important legal matters.
• Promptly and effectively addresses unforeseen legal risks if they arise and communicates to legal colleagues within the legal department in a timely manner; processes, uncertain, or incomplete information quickly to identify potential implications for the business.
• Provide counseling and other legal support for division or SBU with new production introduction, research and development, and encouraging innovation.
• Negotiates and drafts contracts for SBU or division as assigned by the senior attorneys.
• Collaborates with other legal and compliance staff and organizational partners to develop and provide trainings; develop, update and maintain templates, negotiation resources and playbooks.
• Contributes to development and implementation of scale commercial legal processes.
• Other duties as assigned.

What Makes You A Strong Fit

• The candidate should have Juris Doctor and Bar admission (or equivalent in jurisdiction).
• These roles work closely with important division and/or SBU clients.
• Must be able to demonstrate a basic level of analytic and project management skills, task-focused, works on own initiative to get things done, is able to work under pressure, and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Must have hands‑on transactional experience including, but not limited to drafting, reviewing, and negotiating IP licensing agreements, acquisitions and divestitures and related agreements.
• An understanding of patents, trademarks, copyright and trade secrets to develop and counsel clients on protection, risk avoidance, and enforcement strategies.
• Exercises good judgement and sound decision making. These roles may play significant roles in broader strategic projects for the department.
• 5+ years of relevant (generally in‑house or law firm) experience and a law degree from law school.
• 5+ years of specialized experience in intellectual property.

Critical skills required to perform the core responsibilities of the position:

Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency

• Effectively prioritizes, delegates, supervises, and monitors work carried out by external legal resources or non-legal project teams to ensure high quality and timely delivery.
• Identifies potential legal and compliance issues and consults with senior attorneys to identify a solution.
• Effectively manage and execute IP related projects.
• Takes initiative to develop or improve internal company guidance documents, using legal know-how for the benefit of the business and/or legal department.

Influencing and Communicating

• Able to translate legal issues for business clients and explain in a comprehensible manner; possesses diplomacy skills.
• Able to communicate effectively and enable the sharing of information and resources across the legal team for the collective benefit of the division or SBU.
• Networks in the legal industry.
• Is approachable and makes time to support colleagues.

Commercial Awareness and Effectiveness

• Seeks regular feedback and discusses primary client business needs to fully understand business drivers from the beginning.
• Prioritizes resource and effort around key client business deliverables.
• Uses legal experience and knowledge to anticipate client business need and seeks to add value.

Bonus Points if You Have

• Takes initiative to contribute to the improvement of internal processes.
• Effectively uses technology and other resources to achieve the most efficient delivery.
• Takes ownership of tasks seeking guidance and input from others as appropriate.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese (written and spoken) preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Chinese intellectual property laws, regulations, and enforcement practices, including trademark, patent, copyright, and anti-counterfeiting matters.

Things To Know

• Be willing to travel up to 10%, domestic and international travel.
• Be willing to work in an office located in Richardson, Texas (Hybrid).
• Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen.
• Successfully complete a background investigation and drug screen as a condition of employment

What You Can Expect

• A hybrid work environment that balances flexibility with in-person collaboration, with most office-based roles onsite three days a week.
• Access to employee discounts on HARMAN and Samsung products (including JBL, Harman / Kardon, AKG, and others)
• Learning and development opportunities through our award-winning HARMAN University programs
• Wellness benefits designed to support your overall well-being
• Tuition reimbursement support
• Access to the HARMAN campus fitness center and cafeteria, where available
• An inclusive and diverse work environment that supports both your professional and personal development

Pay Transparency

$ 125,250 - $ 183,700

Dependent on the position offered, other forms of compensation are also available, such as bonuses or commission.

Pay is based on a wide range of factors, including, without limitation, skill set, experience, training, location, and business need. While the above range is a reasonable estimate of the wage range for this position, please note the disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographical differential associated with the location where the position may be filled.

Benefits

• paid vacation and holidays
• paid sick leave
• volunteer leave
• paid bonding and care giver leave
• comprehensive medical
• dental
• vision plans
• fertility support
• adoption assistance
• Health Savings
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• retirement savings plan with employer match
• short and long term disability coverage
• life insurance
• and more

About HARMAN: Where Innovation Unleashes Next-Level Technology

Ever since the 1920s, we've been amplifying the sense of sound. Today, that legacy endures, with integrated technology platforms that make the world smarter, safer, and more connected.

Across automotive, lifestyle, and digital transformation solutions, we create innovative technologies that turn ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Our renowned automotive and lifestyle solutions can be found everywhere, from the music we play in our cars and homes to venues that feature today's most sought-after performers, while our digital transformation solutions serve humanity by addressing the world's ever-evolving needs and demands.

Marketing our award-winning portfolio under 16 iconic brands, such as JBL, Mark Levinson, and Revel, we set ourselves apart by exceeding the highest engineering and design standards for our customers, our partners and each other.

If you're ready to innovate and do work that makes a lasting impact, join our talent community today!

Important Notice: Recruitment Scams

Please be aware that HARMAN recruiters will always communicate with you from an '@harman.com', '@careers.harman.com' or '@harmanglobal.avature.net' email address. We will never ask for payments, banking, credit card, personal financial information or access to your LinkedIn/email account during the screening, interview, or recruitment process. If you are asked for such information or receive communication from an email address not ending in one of the above email domains about a job with HARMAN, please cease communication immediately and report the incident to us through: [e-mail].

You Belong Here

HARMAN is committed to making every employee feel welcomed, valued, and empowered. No matter what role you play, we encourage you to share your ideas, voice your distinct perspective, and bring your whole self with you - all within a support-minded culture that celebrates what makes each of us unique. We also recognize that learning is a lifelong pursuit and want you to flourish. We proudly offer added opportunities for training, development, and continuing education, further empowering you to live the career you want.

HARMAN is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. HARMAN strives to hire the best qualified candidates and is committed to building a workforce representative of the diverse marketplaces and communities of our global colleagues and customers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. HARMAN attracts, hires, and develops employees based on merit, qualifications and job-related performance.(www.harman.com)

HARMAN is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process, please contact us at [e-mail]. Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable law.