Chief Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel - Billerica, MA Hybrid

Cabot Corporation is seeking a Chief Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel to join the inhouse legal organization at the Billerica, MA location.

This leadership position is responsible for Cabot’s IP law activities, including client counseling and business transactions involving IP, patent drafting, prosecution and enforcement, publication review, due diligence, trademark matters, opinion work, and support of any adversarial proceedings.

This role reports to the SVP and General Counsel and works closely with upper-level management, as well as Cabot’s broader technical community. This role works in partnership with other senior leaders to design, develop and drive implementation of IP strategy aligned with Cabot’s strategic directives.

The individual will lead and manage the IP Law Department as well as manage relationships with outside counsel and oversee IP spend.

This role is based at the Billerica, MA, location, but is eligible to participate in Cabot’s Flexible Working Arrangement (hybrid) program.

• Collaborate with and counsel internal clients on a variety of IP issues to support achievement of strategic objectives, including IP portfolio development, patent interpretation and validity/freedom-to-operate studies, prior art searches and patentability, infringement by third parties, competitive patent portfolio analysis, patent disputes, trademark protection, and trade secret protection.
• Provide and articulate clear, pragmatic and actionable legal guidance and risk assessment on IP issues
• Draft, review, negotiate and advise on agreements involving IP, including license agreements, JDAs, MTAs, SRAs, NDAs, consulting agreements, IP acquisition and divestiture agreements, government grants, and other transactional matters.
• Work closely with technical, business, and legal teams as needed, for example, to evaluate, support and protect the development of new technologies, support M&A activities, provide guidance or lend expertise to other members of Legal Department on IP legal issues etc.
• Manage assigned patent and trademark portfolios, including prepare and prosecute applications, and/or manage and support such work with external counsel
• Stay up-to-date with IP law, best practices and industry trends to ensure that Cabot assets remain appropriately protected. Advise on emerging IP issues to ensure innovative and cutting-edge approaches. Communicate regularly with internal teams to apprise them of developments in IP law. Facilitate transfer of best practices between businesses and regions. Provide IP training.
• Manage and support any contested proceedings (e.g., litigation, oppositions, IPRs) with external counsel.
• Assist in the development and implementation of policies and procedures as they relate to areas of legal exposure for Cabot and for the IP Law Department
• Demonstrate leadership within Legal Department and with business partners. Lead and manage IP Law Department, which includes other IP attorneys, IP paralegals and staff
• Develop and manage IP budget, including identifying the correct use and allocation of internal and external resources (e.g., identifying, selecting, and managing external counsel)

• Technical undergraduate degree, preferably in chemistry, chemical engineering or materials science. Masters or Ph.D. technical degree is a plus.
• JD degree and admission in good standing to a bar in at least one state.
• Admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• Minimum 10+ years of proven IP attorney experience (e.g., prosecution, opinion work, and particularly substantial IP-related transactions) with in-depth law firm training. In-house experience, including managing people/teams, outside counsel, and IP workflow, is a plus.
• Experience with contested proceedings (e.g., litigation, oppositions, IPRs) is a plus
• Strong expertise with IP-related agreements (drafting, reviewing and negotiating)
• Strong problem solving and conflict resolution skills; able to think strategically and systematically and to deal with complexity and ambiguity
• Ability to synthesize and present complex issues to senior leaders
• Strong business acumen: awareness of the business issues facing the organization and the ability to deal with problems in a practical manner
• Strong and articulate communication skills (oral and written)
• Strong interpersonal skills: accessible, personable and collaborative attorney; able to build relationships that foster a team environment driving effective partnership with cross-functional teams
• Strong technological aptitude and keen interest to learn and work with a range of technologies
• Commitment to high integrity, sound judgment and business ethics

How We’ll Support Your Success:

• Dynamic, Flexible, Hard Working, Team Environment – We are busy, collaborative, growing, and we are doing really meaningful work.
• Hybrid Work Environment – The autonomy to both work from home 2 days a week and develop/sustain colleague relationships in the office 3 days a week.
• Benefits, Vacation, Etc. – We offer a competitive package of benefits.

• Feedback – we are committed to giving and receiving feedback in a direct and open fashion.
• Support – you are part of a team and deserve to feel encouraged and supported. You will be part of a team that cares about you personally and professionally. Our success depends on your success.

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