Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and manufacturing company specializing in the design and manufacture of a wide variety of labeling and functional materials. The company’s products, which are used in nearly every major industry, include pressure-sensitive materials for labels and graphic applications; tapes and other bonding solutions for industrial, medical and retail applications; tags, labels and embellishments for apparel; and radio frequency identification (RFID) solutions serving retail apparel and other markets. Headquartered in Glendale, California, the company employs approximately 30,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Reported sales in 2017 were $6.6 billion. Learn more at www.averydennison.com.

The scope and responsibilities of the position include providing global intellectual property (“IP”) services to Avery Dennison’s Label and Graphic Materials Group of businesses (“LGM”), including domestic and international IP procurement, enforcement, and clearance, business counseling, and transactional support.  The position reports to the Global VP and Senior Group IP Counsel, and works closely with LGM’s Technology and Innovation Leadership Team, as well as Regional Directors of R&D, Marketing, and Procurement. This position will be based in either Mentor, Ohio, USA (near Cleveland), or Oegstgeest, The Netherlands (near Amsterdam).

To be successful in your role  as Group IP Counsel, we need you to deliver on these responsibilities:

• Deliver highly skilled patent procurement services. Draft and file patent applications (domestic, foreign and PCT applications), liaising with inventors, internal IP lawyers, agents, staff, and foreign counsel to obtain the information needed to prepare and successfully prosecute patent applications.

• Support global IP strategy that targets growth in key market segments and accelerates new product innovations in each key market around the world.

• Provide a full spectrum of intellectual property legal services including: client counseling; technology development and licensing contracts; trade secret protection, and patent and trademark protection, surveillance, enforcement, licensing, and litigation.

• Conduct patent novelty, validity and right to market studies, patent and information searches, and analyzing and summarizing search results.

• Provide strategic guidance as a business partner to R&D, Marketing, and Procurement by integrating legal advice with critical business strategies for product development, joint development efforts, and licensing matters.

• Provide IP related advice for M&A assessments and negotiations, joint ventures, and start-up investments.

• Strong collaboration skills to engage and partner with colleagues in the global law department and global client teams.

• Travel is required in this position, approx 20% and includes international travel. 

Education and Credentials:

• A technical degree is required, preferably in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or Materials Science or Engineering.  Experience in polymer chemistry is highly preferred.

• A law degree with excellent credentials, registration with the USPTO or EPO, and a member of the Bar in good standing (if US attorney) is also required.

Required Experience:

• Approximately 7-10 years of patent law experience, including IP-related transactions, patent drafting and prosecution, freedom to operate opinions, and litigation.

• Experienced with various types of transactions (M&A, JV, licensing, JDA, partnering agreements, negotiation experience with universities).

• Proven ability to deal effectively with complex legal issues that have both legal and business ramifications.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience of collaboration and successfully engaging with global teams.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and build relationships at a distance.

• Demonstrated excellence in client counseling.

• Highly experienced in chemicals and materials relevant to LGM’s products.

Preferred Experience:

• Demonstrated strength at collaboration in matrix organizations, especially in a global organization and across functions.

• 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 way that guides clients to successful outcomes.

• Demonstrated ability to lead.

• A strong working knowledge of and experience with PCT, European patent practice, and China patent practice is highly desirable.

• Familiarity with technologies relating to Avery Dennison’s products and markets is strongly preferred.

• Litigation experience is a significant plus.

• Experience with other IP such as trademarks and copyrights is useful.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or other protected status. EEOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.