Job Description

Working at Freudenberg: We will wow your world!

Responsibilities:

IP-Related Commercial Agreements

• Draft, negotiate, and advise on a wide range of IP-related standard documents, contract management templates, guidelines and know-how, commercial agreements, including joint development agreements, collaboration agreements, and inbound and outbound licensing agreements.
• Ensure agreements appropriately protect the Company's intellectual property assets, confidential information, and brand elements.
• Advise on ownership, use rights, improvements, sublicensing rights, commercialization provisions, and termination clauses.

Corporate Transactions and M&A Support

• Provide intellectual property legal support for corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic investments.
• Conduct and advise on IP due diligence, including assessment of patent, trademark, and licensing portfolios.
• Advise on intellectual property representations, warranties, covenants, indemnities, and allocation of transactional risk.
• Support post-closing integration planning relating to intellectual property assets, agreements, and ongoing contractual obligations.

IP Risk Assessment and Strategic Advice

• Apply deep knowledge of patent and trademark systems to evaluate IP-sensitive commercial transactions and business relationships.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate intellectual property risks associated with commercial agreements and strategic initiatives.
• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice aligned with the Company's commercial strategy.

Outside Counsel Management and Budget Oversight

• Engage, manage, and oversee outside counsel supporting IP-related transactional and M&A matters.
• Oversee, monitor, and manage external legal spend related to IP transactions and commercial support.
• Supporting and handling IP litigation and assisting in the development of litigation strategies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with Legal and IP Team colleagues, R&D, commercial, procurement, and corporate development teams.
• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to internal stakeholders on IP-related transactional matters.
• Support business growth while maintaining appropriate legal and intellectual property risk controls.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Active admission to practice law before at least one U.S. state bar.
• 5+ years of experience in commercial transactions with a strong intellectual property focus.
• Substantial experience drafting and negotiating licensing, collaboration, and development agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing outside counsel and overseeing legal budgets.
• Capacity to review, legally analyze and revise legal documents and contracts with a good understanding of commercial and strategic aspects and solid drafting skills.
• Experience supporting intellectual property aspects of mergers and acquisitions or other strategic transactions is preferred
• Prior in-house experience in an IP- or technology-driven organization.
• Familiarity with patent and trademark portfolios and their commercial exploitation.
• Experience working with cross-functional and international teams.

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The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Freudenberg North America Limited Partnership