Job DescriptionLocation: Mentor, OH (Hybrid preferred; remote work will be considered for qualified non-local candidates.)
Reporting to: Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Global M&A and Intellectual Property
Avery Dennison is seeking a Senior IP Counsel for its Materials Group business. The candidate should be well-versed in corporate IP strategy, domestic and international IP procurement, enforcement/litigation, due diligence/clearance, business counseling, and transactional support. This position will work closely with the company's technology and innovation leadership teams, as well as regional directors of R&D, Marketing, and Procurement. The candidate will need a background that permits him/her to provide direct, hands-on legal leadership for core material science platforms, pressure-sensitive adhesives, functional coatings, and digital identification technologies.
A successful Senior IP Counsel will be expected to:
Global IP Strategy & Commercial Alignment
- Drive and execute a global IP strategy aligned with core business growth, high-margin product platforms, and expansion in key international markets.
- Counsel business leaders on portfolio optimization, patents vs trade secrets, trademarks, and open-source models to maximize ROI and market protection.
- Manage, allocate, and optimize global IP budgets and external legal spend.
Portfolio Development & IP Lifecycle Management
- Oversee end-to-end global patent procurement (drafting, PCT/foreign filings, prosecution) to build strong, defensible IP fences around key platforms.
- Guide, challenge, and triage R&D inventions to ensure high-value filing decisions and strong alignment with technology roadmaps.
- Execute offensive and defensive IP strategies, including competitive surveillance, EPO oppositions, and third-party observations.
Freedom to Operate (FTO), Risk Mitigation and Disputes
- Conduct rigorous patentability, validity, and Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) analyses to clear new product launches and minimize infringement risks.
- Advise executive leadership and stakeholders on legal risks regarding patenting, commercial readiness, and contractual exposure.
- Manage IP litigation, adversarial proceedings, and dispute resolution in close coordination with outside counsel and internal business partners.
Complex Commercial Transactions & M&A
- Structure, draft, and negotiate complex IP and technology transactions, including Joint Development Agreements, inbound/outbound licensing, strategic vendor contracts, and research collaborations.
- Lead IP due diligence and risk assessment for M&A, joint ventures, and venture investments.
Cross Functional Leadership & Enablement
- Act as an embedded legal partner to R&D, Commercial, Procurement, and Business Development teams, integrating IP guidance early into product development.
- Design and deliver IP training programs for cross-functional staff on IP best practices, invention disclosures, and trade secret protection.
- Mentor, integrate, and leverage global internal IP resources, external agents, and foreign counsel.
QualificationsGeneral Qualifications:
- Superior understanding of, and ability to take and manage risk.
- Strong business acumen, and ability to connect the law and legal strategies to business goals in a way that guides clients to successful outcomes.
- Excellent grasp of finance and budgeting concepts.
- Demonstrated ability to lead.
Education and Credentials:
- A technical degree (B.S., M.S., or Ph.D.) in Materials Science & Engineering, Chemical Engineering,
- Polymer Science, Physical Chemistry, or Mechanical Engineering is required. Deep technical familiarity with
- pressure-sensitive adhesives, self-adhesive label stock, films (functional and/or graphic wrapping), polymers
- or surface/coating technology is strongly preferred.
- A law degree (J.D.), registration with the USPTO, and admission to the Bar in at least one U.S. state in good
- standing are also required.
Required Experience:
- 15+ years of dedicated patent and legal experience (including at least 3+ years in an in-house corporate law
- department supporting industrial materials, chemicals, roll-to-roll processing or advanced manufacturing),
- including strong business counseling and strategy, transactions, patent drafting and prosecution, freedom to
- operate opinions, and litigation.
- Demonstrated experience with international patent practice (PCT, EPO, CNIPA) and post-grant opposition
- proceedings (especially EPO oppositions).
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience in collaboration with global
- teams, including the ability to communicate across regional and cultural boundaries.
- Robust transactional experience (including complex JDAs, licenses, partnering and strategic sourcing
- agreements)
Preferred Experience:
- Litigation and patent opposition/invalidation experience.
- Experience with RFID, digital identification, smart labels, sensor integration, or AI and other emerging technologies.
- Trademark portfolio management experience
Additional InformationPay Transparency:
The salary range for this position is $180,000 - $270,000/ year. The hiring base salary range above represents what Avery Dennison reasonably expects to pay for this position as of the date of this posting. Actual salaries will vary within the range, and in some circumstances may be above or below the range, based on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's relevant skills, experience, education and training, and location, as well as the job scope and complexity, responsibilities, and regular and/or necessary travel required for the position, which may change depending on the candidate pool. Avery Dennison reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.
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