Counsel, Technology & Patents

This position will support the Associate General Counsel, Technology and Privacy in the development and execution of the company's patent strategy and assist in cyber security matters. The role will be deeply integrated with the engineering team to identify and protect innovative technologies. Departments of focus include Engineering, Product Development, Innovation & Advanced Development, and IT. This role requires strong persistence, creative thinking, excellent business judgment, and the ability to collaborate closely with engineers to increase patent output.

What you will be doing: 

• Collaborate closely with the engineering team to identify patentable innovations and support the Technology and Privacy Team in developing and executing the company's patent strategy.

• Assist in drafting and revising technology agreements.

• Assist in patent prosecution decisions and determining appropriate patent claim scope.

• Perform preliminary patent clearance relevant to new product initiatives.

• Conduct legal research on patent law developments, intellectual property regulations, and assess how these affect the company's patent strategy.

• Assist the Associate General Counsel to gather documents and evidence and manage patent litigation.

• Work with the Privacy and Technology Team to prepare educational presentations on patent processes and strategies for engineering stakeholders and help increase patent awareness within the company.

• Work with cross functional business partners to facilitate responding to data security questions received from B2B customers.

• Work with business partners to facilitate compliance with and documentation of internal data security processes.

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with business partners, outside counsel and legal department members.

Experience you bring to the role:

• Bachelor of Science degree required, Engineering or computer science degree strongly preferred.

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school and active licensure to practice law required.

• A minimum of two (2) years of legal experience in patent law -engineering or computer science/technology experience strongly preferred.

• Experience 'invention mining' with engineers and technologists and leveraging information into actions. 

Skills and abilities: 

• Possesses sound judgment and a strong ethical framework.

• Requires creativity, strong analytical and organization skills.

• Persistent communicator with strong interpersonal skills.

• Ability to manage outside counsel for cost-effective delivery of legal services.

• Highly organized multi-tasker capable of handling multiple projects at once and managing competing priorities.

• Team and cross-functional player. Ability to collaborate, build relationships and work well with team members at all levels.

• Willingness to learn new areas of the law and apply expertise to a dynamic, multi- national company.

Fortune Brands believes in fair and equitable pay. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for this role is Hiring Pay Range: $140,000 USD - $220,000 USD. Please note that actual salaries may vary within the range, or be above or below the range, based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, professional achievement, business need, and location. In addition to base salary, employees will participate in either an annual bonus plan based on company and individual performance, or a role-based sales incentive plan.

At Fortune Brands, we support the overall health and wellness of our associates by offering comprehensive, competitive benefits that prioritize all aspects of wellbeing and provide flexibility for our teammates’ unique needs. This includes robust health plans, a market-leading 401(k) program with a company contribution, product discounts, flexible time off benefits, adoption benefits, and more. We offer numerous ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to foster a sense of belonging for all associates.

Fortune Brands is built on industry-leading brands and innovation within the high-growth categories of water, outdoors and security. The Company makes innovative products for residential and commercial environments, with a growing focus on digital solutions and products that add luxury, contribute to safety and enhance sustainability. To learn more, visit our website at fbin.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Fortune Brands is an equal opportunity employer. Fortune Brands evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability/handicap status, marital status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic history or information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Reasonable Accommodations

Fortune Brands is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact us at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request along with your contact information.

Important Notice: Protect Yourself from Fraudulent Job Postings

To protect yourself from fraudulent job postings or recruitment scams, please note that Fortune Brands job postings are exclusively hosted on our website at fbin.com/careers via our SmartRecruiters platform. Fortune Brands will never request banking information or sensitive personal details until an offer of employment has been accepted and the onboarding process begins.