Principal Corporate Counsel, Trademark

Overview
We're looking for a trademark attorney to join Microsoft's Global Trademarks Team in the role of Principal Corporate Counsel, Trademark. Microsoft's Trademarks Team is responsible for advising on a broad range of trademark issues, including clearance, conflicts, licensing, intermediary and contributory liability, prosecution, trademark counseling, as well as internal and external policy development and outreach. This attorney will share responsibility with Microsoft's other trademark lawyers, paralegals, program managers and operations specialists for the company's trademark practice.
Responsibilities

• You act as the primary trademark attorney and trusted advisor for one or more product groups and their associated legal teams and advise on a broad range of strategic trademark matters. You identify opportunities for policy and advocacy outreach and develop Microsoft' position on key trademark policy matters.
• You have an in-depth understanding of and experience in trademark law and oversee trademark clearance, prosecution, conflicts, and licensing for your product groups. You engage with colleagues to identify and share best practices.
• You have an understanding of legal principles. You are able to interpret a large volume of legal information, organize and simplify issues and ideas in written or verbal communication and explain it clearly and succinctly to the business teams.
• You work effectively and develop positive relationships with internal teams, including the broader CELA Marketing and Consumer Business Group, colleagues in the legal department, business clients, specialists, Microsoft subsidiaries, and multiple product groups to help analyze legal risks, resolve issues and implement overall trademark-related business strategies. You coordinate work with outside counsel globally and oversee efficient use of budget allocation.
• You identify, anticipate, and develop solutions to mitigate legal risks; you manage project work expenses according to budget and provide feedback to the improvement of project operations.

Qualifications
Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate Degree or Equivalent International Degree
  • OR Completion of a Legal Apprenticeship.
• Active license to practice law in a jurisdiction and capable of meeting admission requirements in relevant jurisdiction
• 5+ years experience as a practicing attorney in trademark law with extensive US and international experience in clearance, prosecution, licensing, and conflict work, including litigation or litigation management or equivalent practice of law.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in other areas of intellectual property law is a plus.
• In-house experience is a plus.
• A growth mindset
• A global mindset: knowledge and understanding of global cultures, including similarities and differences. This includes the ability to work across organizational, functional, and geographic boundaries to drive communications, business strategies and multi-geography projects and teams; and adapt to a highly matrixed environment.
• Team player: proven ability to work independently and as part of a team, and possessing the ability to lead, mentor and motivate others.
• Demonstrate the ability to work efficiently, meet demanding deadlines in fast-paced environment, prioritize workflow, and adjust to frequent workload fluctuations.
• A keen business sense, the skills to find creative solutions to legal issues, and the ability to effectively balance legal risks against business interests.
• Results orientation, customer focus, a commitment to providing the highest quality client service, and a desire to develop trusted advisor relationships with business clients.
• Knowledge of trends, direction, new products and changes in technology.
• Knowledge of how intellectual property rights apply to technology.

Legal Counsel IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $124,800 - $222,000 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $159,000 - $238,600 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.
Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
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