Senior Intellectual Property Counsel M/F

As a Senior Intellectual Property Counsel in our France office, you will join a talented and collaborative global group of in-house lawyers and legal professionals to support the global Intellectual Property legal strategy and transactional work for Schneider Electric and its group companies. This role will report to the Associate General Counsel, Global Intellectual Property Transactions. 

Roles & Responsibilities: 

• Provide Intellectual Property legal guidance and support for global M&A and other strategic activities, including due diligence and post deal integration;
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex transactional documents including joint development agreements, framework (sales or supply) agreements, Intellectual Property licensing agreements (in-bound and out-bound), and joint Intellectual Property ownership agreements;
• Work in partnership with internal business stakeholders including M&A, R&D, marketing, HR, sales and supply chain to identify and mitigate Intellectual Property risks;

• Partner with the commercial legal team to support and facilitate negotiation, review and drafting of Intellectual Property related clauses in commercial agreements;
• Prepare and negotiate settlement agreements in close collaboration with the Global Intellectual Property Litigation team;
• Collaborate with external counsels as necessary for legal support;
• Ensure compliance with relevant Intellectual Property laws, regulations, and internal policies across the organization, including developing and implementing Intellectual Property policies and training programs for employees (incl. commercial lawyers);
• Stay up-to-date on legal and regulatory developments in the Intellectual Property field and advise the organization accordingly
• Providing other assistance and support to M&A, R&D, marketing, and legal department teams as required, including on pre-litigation matters.

Requirements:

• Master 2 in Intellectual Property Law from a recognized French/European university;
• Qualified lawyer with at least 8 years of experience in Intellectual Property law, preferably in-house or at a reputable law firm;
• Fluency/proficiency in French and English (oral & written);
• Strong knowledge of local and global Intellectual Property laws and regulations, including patents, designs, trademarks, copyright, and trade secrets;
• Proven track record of drafting and negotiating Intellectual Property agreements, and providing legal advice and support on all sorts of Intellectual Property matters;
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.

Preferred:

• Qualified professional representative in France;
• Professional experience in both private practice and in-house multinational environments;
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement policies and standards;
• Demonstrated ability to direct and manage external counsel; and Working knowledge of a language other than English or French (German or Spanish – a plus).

Skills & Abilities:   

• Strong organizational and project management skills with an attention to detail;  
• Ability to work on own initiative, independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams;
• Strong analytic skills to identify risk, evaluate associated risk mitigation actions and clearly summarize complex topics and needs;  
• Ability to define creative and flexible solutions to support global project with a global team and balance risk, resources, and compliance; 
• Ability to prioritize tasks, deadlines, and risks;
• Strong teamwork, and interpersonal/communication skills to support an inclusive and global team;
• Commercial and strategic acumen.

If you meet the above requirements and are passionate about Intellectual Property law, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity!

Why us?

Schneider Electric is leading the digital transformation of energy management and automation. Our technologies enable the world to use energy in a safe, efficient and sustainable manner. We strive to promote a global economy that is both ecologically viable and highly productive.

€25.7bn global revenue

137 000+ employees in 100+ countries

45% of revenue from IoT

5% of revenue devoted for R&D

You must submit an online application to be considered for any position with us. This position will be posted until filled

It is the policy of Schneider Electric to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct. Concerning agencies: Schneider Electric does not accept unsolicited resumes and will not be responsible for fees related to such.