In-House IP Counsel Job Description
Company: Mphasis Limited
Location: Remote/ Mumbai/ Bangalore
Job Type: Full-Time
Experience Level: 6-8 years PQE working as IP counsel for IT/ITES company
Reports To: AVP
Role Summary
We are seeking an experienced, business-minded Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel to manage and safeguard the company's IP portfolio across multiple jurisdictions. This role involves strategic oversight of IP assets, handling complex IP transactions, and ensuring compliance with global IP laws. The ideal candidate will partner closely with product engineering, R&D, and business and marketing teams to protect innovations and service offerings to mitigate risks in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities
- IP Portfolio Management: Develop and execute comprehensive global IP strategies aligned with business objectives. Manage the identification, assessment, and maintenance of IP assets, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Mange and protect company's IP rights in TMs/ Domain names and Patents by taking necessary legal actions.
- Patent & Trademark Prosecution: Coordinate with internal technical experts and external legal counsel to draft, file, and prosecute patent and trademark applications with relevant offices (e.g., , international filings via PCT or Madrid Protocol).
- Agreements & Licensing: Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of IP-related agreements, including software licensing, technology transfer, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), and joint development contracts.
- Risk Management & Due Diligence: Conduct IP clearance searches, freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses, and risk assessments for new products, features, and technologies. Oversee IP due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships.
- Enforcement & Litigation Support: Monitor competitive IP activity and manage enforcement actions against infringement, including drafting cease-and-desist letters and supporting internal/external counsel with litigation and dispute resolution.
- Internal Collaboration & Training: Advise R&D, product, and marketing teams on IP matters and policies. Develop and lead training sessions for internal stakeholders to foster an IP-aware culture.
- Open Source Compliance: Advise engineering teams on open-source software (OSS) license compliance and support the operationalization of compliance processes and tools.
Required Qualifications & Skills- Education:
- LLB/LLM from an accredited law school.
- Any additional qualification pertaining to IP (e.g. - TM and Patent Agent) will be preferred.
- Experience:
- Proven experience of 6 to 8 yrs in IP law, either with a IP law firm and or as a in-house experience within the SaaS/software/technology industry.
- Experience with patent and trademark lifecycle management and prosecution procedures.
- Familiarity with global data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and open-source software licensing is a plus.
- Skills & Competencies:
- Deep knowledge of IP laws (patent, trademark, copyright, trade secrets).
- Excellent analytical, negotiation, and contract drafting skills.
- Strong business acumen and the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders.
- Proactive mindset, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
