Senior Counsel, Trademark
About the Team
OpenAI's Legal team plays a crucial role in furthering OpenAI's mission by tackling innovative, fundamental legal issues in AI. If you're passionate about doing significant and unique work as a technology lawyer, this team is for you. The team comprises legal professionals from diverse fields, including technology, privacy, IP, corporate, cybersecurity, employment, tax, regulatory, and litigation.
About the Role
We’re growing our IP team and seek an experienced attorney to lead OpenAI’s global trademark litigation and disputes strategy, and oversee our broader trademark and brand protection practice. You will lead complex, high-stakes trademark litigation and enforcement matters around the world, develop strategies to protect OpenAI’s brands in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, and provide practical, business-oriented advice on novel trademark and brand-related issues. This role is highly cross-functional across OpenAI, including work across our Legal, Communications, Global Affairs, Marketing, Product and Executive teams
This role is based in San Francisco, CA. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance to new employees.
In this role, you will:
- Lead global trademark litigation and disputes, including complex infringement, unfair competition, dilution, and other brand-related litigation, from initial assessment through resolution.
- Develop and execute global trademark litigation and enforcement strategies, including managing outside counsel, directing litigation strategy, assessing risk, and advising senior leadership on significant disputes.
- Lead and develop OpenAI’s trademark team, overseeing attorneys and legal professionals responsible for trademark clearance, prosecution, portfolio management, enforcement, dispute resolution, brand protection, and marketing counseling.
- Stay current on relevant laws, regulations, and industry trends, and provide updates and legal guidance to company leadership and stakeholders.
- Build scalable processes and frameworks for trademark risk assessment, enforcement prioritization, outside counsel management, and cross-functional decision-making.
- Provide clear, practical, and strategic advice to senior leadership, balancing legal risks, commercial priorities, reputational considerations, and long-term brand protection.
You might thrive in this role if you:
- Have 10+ years of leading complex trademark litigation and disputes, including significant responsibility for litigation strategy, case management, and resolution, including substantial experience at technology companies and law firms.
- Have personally developed and executed strategies for complex, high-stakes trademark litigation and disputes, leading matters from initial assessment through resolution, including direct engagement with opposing counsel and other key stakeholders.
- Have experience developing and executing global trademark portfolio strategies, including clearance, prosecution, enforcement, and brand protection, aligned with business priorities and growth.
- Communicate complex legal and business issues clearly, exercise sound judgment in navigating legal uncertainty, and provide practical, strategic recommendations under pressure.
- Work effectively with cross-functional teams, legal operations, outside counsel, and senior stakeholders while managing multiple urgent matters.
- Bring intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, a strong sense of ownership, and a willingness to challenge assumptions respectfully and learn from feedback.
- Have a JD and a license or qualification to practice in California.