VP, Legal & IP Strategy — Lead Growth & Compliance

Join the Turtlebox Team; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 210,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health benefits

401k matching

Discount on Turtlebox products

Complimentary lunch

Paid time off

Job summary

Join the Turtlebox Team is seeking a VP of Legal to lead the legal function, reporting to the CEO, and partner with the executive team. The role oversees IP portfolio management (patents, trademarks, trade dress, copyrights, trade secrets) and corporate, commercial, employment, litigation, and compliance matters.

You will direct external counsel and guide risk for a fast-moving consumer products company. The ideal candidate has deep IP expertise, strong business judgment, and the ability to act

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing (state to be determined by company headquarters).
• 10+ years of relevant legal experience, with substantial focus on intellectual property law (patent and/or trademark prosecution, licensing, or IP litigation).
• In-house experience at a consumer products, hardware, or technology company strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing a patent portfolio and directing outside patent counsel and prosecution strategy.
• Working knowledge of trademark, trade dress, copyright, and trade secret law as applied to consumer products and branding.
• Experience negotiating commercial, licensing, manufacturing, and distribution agreements.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders.
• Comfort operating as a hands-on, generalist legal leader in a lean organization, balancing strategic IP work with day-to-day corporate needs.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute an IP strategy aligned with product roadmap, R&D investment, and brand growth.
• Manage the end-to-end patent portfolio, including invention capture, prosecution strategy, filing decisions, and outside counsel coordination.
• Oversee trademark, trade dress, and copyright registration, maintenance, and enforcement across all markets.
• Lead freedom-to-operate and clearance analyses for new products, features, and packaging prior to launch.
• Monitor the competitive landscape for infringement and counterfeiting; direct enforcement actions, cease-and-desist efforts, and litigation strategy.
• Negotiate and manage IP licensing agreements, both inbound and outbound, and structure IP terms in manufacturing, supply, and channel partner agreements.
• Implement trade secret protection programs, including confidentiality policies and employee/contractor IP assignment practices.
• Advise engineering, product, and marketing teams on IP risk as an embedded partner throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements; liaison to outside law firm; manage spend and relationships.

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Active bar membership

Job description

Join the Turtlebox Team is seeking a VP of Legal to lead the legal function, reporting to the CEO, and partner with the executive team. The role oversees IP portfolio management (patents, trademarks, trade dress, copyrights, trade secrets) and corporate, commercial, employment, litigation, and compliance matters.

You will direct external counsel and guide risk for a fast-moving consumer products company. The ideal candidate has deep IP expertise, strong business judgment, and the ability to act