IP Counsel

As part of Waymo's Legal team, you will work on the exciting legal issues surrounding our transformational autonomous driving technology and help drive our business lines forward from technology ideation through scaled commercial deployment. We partner with our public policy, safety, security and privacy experts to define transportation policy for the autonomous driving world to come, advising on regulatory changes that support and protect our users around the world. We collaborate with our engineering, product, strategy and operations teams to develop and protect our intellectual property portfolio and drive our corporate and commercial transactions. We ensure compliance with an increasingly complex and dynamic range of global regulations. And we anticipate, mitigate, and litigate high-profile and precedent-setting legal matters.

In this Hybrid role you will report to the Assistant General Counsel.

You will:

• Strategically build and manage a global patent portfolio for key technology areas, including AI/ML and autonomous driving software (e.g., perception, planning, routing, etc.), including managing the full patent life cycle, from conducting patent harvest sessions and disclosure reviews to strategic filing decisions, global prosecution, portfolio maintenance and strategic portfolio analysis, and managing outside patent counsel to ensure timely, high-quality, and targeted work product
• Advise business teams, engineers, and researchers on IP issues regarding foundation models, data rights, license terms, and open-source compliance, and provide counseling on IP terms in commercial and corporate matters
• Collaborate cross-functionally, with other legal team members and technical teams, on IP-related issues in agreements with partners, vendors, and academic institutions
• Review and provide guidance on academic papers, publications, presentations, blog posts, and other public disclosures to manage IP risks and ensure confidential information is protected
• Manage responses to IP-related communications, working cross-functionally across legal and business teams, including potentially evaluating acquisition and licensing opportunities
• As needed, assist other attorneys with counseling on AI-related legal risks arising from current and planned uses of AI technologies

You have:

• JD degree with a strong academic record, state bar membership, admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and 6+ years of relevant legal experience
• Solid technical background/understanding of technology used in autonomous vehicles, AI/ML, robotics, or complex software systems
• Demonstrated experience in: managing a global patent portfolio and patent analysis, providing direct counseling to engineering and research teams, and advising on IP terms in commercial or collaboration agreements
• Experience with understanding cross-functional perspectives and navigating ambiguity. Ability to identify and create streamlined processes to support a growing company
• Execution-oriented individual with strong interpersonal, communication, and team skills. Experience presenting to senior management and technical teams
• Eagerness to work in a startup environment and flexibly roll up your sleeves as an individual contributor to help drive our fast-paced and dynamic business within an emerging and rapidly developing industry.

We prefer:

• Prior in-house experience working side-by-side with engineering, product, partnerships, marketing, and leadership teams to spot, address, and counsel on IP and AI issues
• Experience developing integrated IP strategies that support business goals, spanning patent prosecution, technology licensing, and patent litigation
• Demonstrated experience in: patent acquisition, licensing, litigation, and/or handling of third party demands
• Experience advising on and negotiating agreements with universities
• Experience guiding teams on mitigating AI-related legal risks, including with respect to copyrights, trade secrets, privacy, and compliance with applicable regulations

Travel Requirements:

• Possible occasional travel if required for client meetings, deal negotiations, or other circumstances.