Managing Director & Deputy Chief Counsel - Patents and Trade Secrets

Location: Austin, TX; hybrid work with regular in-person collaboration

Salary: USD $275,000–$350,000 per year

Company

hirify.global provides a corporate environment focused on financial services, technology, innovation, and client support.

What you will do

• Lead enterprise legal strategy and governance for patents, trade secrets, defensive publications, and other innovation protection measures.
• Advise senior legal, technology, finance, security, and business stakeholders on IP risks and opportunities involving technology, AI, data platforms, vendors, and strategic initiatives.
• Develop decision frameworks for patent, trade secret, and defensive publication choices, as well as portfolio prioritization, ownership, licensing, and protection of technical solutions.
• Partner with the Patent Office on portfolio strategy, invention intake, operational execution, outside counsel management, and reporting.
• Provide senior-level guidance on IP provisions in technology, AI, data, and innovation-focused agreements.
• Support responses to suspected trade secret misappropriation, unauthorized disclosure, patent disputes, post-grant proceedings, litigation, and other IP controversies.

Requirements

• JD from an accredited U.S. law school and admission in good standing to the bar of at least one U.S. state.
• 12+ years of sophisticated patent, trade secret, and innovation-focused intellectual property legal experience.
• Deep expertise in patent strategy, trade secret protection, IP ownership, licensing, and technology-driven IP matters involving AI, data, software, and emerging technologies.
• Experience creating legal operating models, governance frameworks, playbooks, standards, and repeatable processes.
• Ability to advise senior executives and technology leaders on strategic and high-risk IP matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, communication, relationship-management, prioritization, and business judgment skills.

Nice to have

• Experience with blockchain, digital assets, tokenization, distributed ledger technologies, cryptocurrency, or other emerging technologies.
• Technical undergraduate degree or equivalent technology experience.
• Prior in-house experience with patent prosecution, portfolio strategy, licensing, or enterprise IP program design.

Culture & Benefits

• Hybrid work and flexibility balanced with regular in-person collaboration.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match and employee stock purchase plan.
• Paid vacation, volunteering time, parental leave, and family-building benefits.
• Tuition reimbursement and a 28-day sabbatical after every five years of service for eligible positions.