Senior Counsel, IP, Risk, and Litigation

Strava; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 260,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Strava is seeking a Senior Counsel, IP, Risk, and Litigation to manage patent and trademark portfolios, cybersecurity incidents, and IP litigation. You'll work with Marketing, Engineering, CX, and Security to balance risk and progress.

The role embraces AI-enabled efficiency and strategic advisory across brand protection and growth initiatives. The ideal candidate has 8+ years in IP, litigation or brand protection, strong independent judgment, and experience with in-house or consumer tech

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience across IP, litigation or brand protection.
• Independent judgment in ambiguous situations without relying on precedent.
• Comfort using AI tools in your work and advising others on AI questions.

Responsibilities

• Lead trademark portfolio strategy and enforcement across Strava brands.
• Build and protect patent portfolio in collaboration with the business.
• Drive IP litigation strategy from planning to resolution.
• Own cybersecurity legal matters end to end and advise on incidents.
• Manage law enforcement data requests and scalable processes.
• Collaborate with Brand and Growth Marketing on risk in campaigns.
• Advise CX on legal questions that arise in user interactions.

Skills

IP protection

Litigation

Brand protection

AI tools

Risk management

Education

Bar admission

Tools

Outside counsel management

Job description

Strava is the app for active people. With over 200 million athletes in more than 185 countries, it’s more than tracking workouts—it’s where people make progress together, from new habits to new personal bests. No matter your sport or how you track it, Strava’s got you covered. Find your crew, crush your goals, and make every effort count. Start your journey with Strava today.

Strava is the app for active people. With over 200 million athletes in more than 185 countries, it’s more than tracking workouts—it’s where people make progress together, from new habits to new personal bests. No matter your sport or how you track it, Strava’s got you covered. Find your crew, crush your goals, and make every effort count. Start your journey with Strava today.

Our mission is simple: to motivate people to live their best active lives. We believe in the power of movement to connect and drive people forward.

About This Role

As Senior Counsel, IP, Risk, and Litigation, you'll be the direct point of contact for patent portfolio management, trademark portfolio and enforcement, cybersecurity incidents, law enforcement requests, and IP litigation, alongside legal support for brand and growth marketing, and our customer experience teams.

You’ll operate independently across a broad practice area, escalating only the most complex or business‑critical matters, and you’ll partner regularly with the Marketing, Engineering, CX, and Security teams. You’ll develop creative, scalable solutions that manage risk and move the business forward with confidence. You’ll embrace AI as a core part of how you work; bringing curiosity, sound judgment, and an experimental mindset to using AI tools to drive efficiency, accelerate problem‑solving, and operate with greater speed and impact.

This role is ideal for a self‑motivated, commercially‑minded, AI‑forward attorney who thrives at the intersection of brand protection, IP, and risk. It’s perfect for someone who brings deep expertise in IP protection, a pragmatic approach to complex problems, and a genuine passion for partnering with the business to strike the balance between risk and progress. This role will report to the Deputy General Counsel.

We follow a flexible hybrid model that translates to more than half of your time on‑site in our San Francisco office, three days per week.

What You'll Do:

• Lead trademark portfolio strategy and enforcement across Strava and Runna
• Build and protect Strava's patent portfolio, partnering with the business to identify and protect emerging innovation
• Drive IP litigation matters from strategy through resolution
• Own cybersecurity legal matters end to end, advising quickly and confidently when incidents arise
• Manage law enforcement data requests, building scalable processes so recurring matters don't require bespoke handling each time
• Partner with Brand and Growth Marketing teams to advise on legal risk in campaigns and initiatives
• Advise the CX team on legal questions that arise in user interactions
• Build scalable frameworks and playbooks that let this practice area grow alongside the business

What You'll Bring to the Team:

• 8+ years of experience across multiple legal practice areas, such as IP, litigation, or brand protection, ideally with a mix of law firm and in‑house roles
• A track record of sound, independent judgment in ambiguous situations without relying on precedent
• Comfort using AI tools in your own work, and advising others on AI‑related legal questions
• Clear judgment about when to resolve issues independently and when to escalate
• Experience with in‑house legal work at a consumer tech or social platform is a plus
• Experience managing outside counsel across multiple practice areas is a plus
• Experience with global legal frameworks is a plus
• Licensed to practice law, with active bar membership in good standing

For more information on benefits, please click here.

Why Join Us?

Movement brings us together. At Strava, we’re building the world’s largest community of active people, helping them stay motivated and achieve their goals.

Our global team is passionate about making movement fun, meaningful, and accessible to everyone. Whether you’re shaping the technology, growing our community, or driving innovation, your work at Strava makes an impact.

When you join Strava, you’re not just joining a company—you’re joining a movement. If you’re ready to bring your energy, ideas, and drive, let’s build something incredible together.

Strava builds software that makes the best part of our athletes’ days even better. Just as we’re deeply committed to unlocking their potential, we’re dedicated to providing a world‑class, inclusive workplace where our employees can grow and thrive, too. We’re backed by Sequoia Capital, TCV, Madrone Partners and Jackson Square Ventures, and we’re expanding in order to exceed the needs of our growing community of global athletes. Our culture reflects our community. We are continuously striving to hire and engage teammates from all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives because we know we are a stronger team together.

Strava is an equal opportunity employer. In keeping with the values of Strava, we make all employment decisions including hiring, evaluation, termination, promotional and training opportunities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, physical handicap, mental disability, medical condition, disability, gender or identity or expression, pregnancy or pregnancy‑related condition, marital status, height and/or weight.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

California Consumer Protection Act Applicant Notice

Compensation Range: $260K - $280K