Legal Manager, Global Intellectual Property & Brands

Role Purpose

Support Global Intellectual Property activities primarily in the areas of enforcement of IHG’s IP and defense of IHG against third party claims of infringement.

Key Accountabilities

• Manage and lead Global IP Enforcement for company, including maintaining watch notices and evidence bank; developing, implementing and managing company’s global brand protection and enforcement strategies, including domain/cyber enforcement, ensuring collaboration and communication for enforcement matters with key internal legal and business stakeholders. Assist the company domain name manager with domain name registration strategy for company trademarks in the top gTLDs and ccTLDs.
• Manage preliminary global trademark search and clearance process for new trademarks; conduct online trademark searches and review, investigate and analyse results to provide clearance opinion to business under supervision of global IP counsel. Review and approval regional hotel names involving intellectual property implications in consultation with global IP counsel as necessary.
• Serve as lead manager for Anaqua database to facilitate Global IP team training and utilization of Anaqua; facilitate tracking and reporting of company global brand protection and enforcement activities using Anaqua.
• Manage company US copyright filings and maintain remaining company patent portfolio; manage company copyright compliance process working in conjunction with global IP counsel; maintain company Proper Use of IP guidelines for third parties.
• Managing first line of communications and investigations in defensive actions for company when company is accused of trademark or copyright infringement by third parties.

Key Skills & Experiences

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Paralegal certificate required

Experience

• 10+ years’ experience as in-house trademark paralegal.
• Experience with trademark management software such as Anaqua
• Excellent judgment and excellent analytical, research, and problem-solving skills
• High degree of interpersonal and customer service skills
• Self-motivated; ability to work independently with minimal supervision