Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Power Integrations in San Jose, CA

Job description

Position Summary The Chief Intellectual Property Counsel serves as the Company’s senior intellectual property leader and is responsible for the development, protection, management, enforcement, and strategic deployment of the Company’s global intellectual property portfolio. Reporting directly to the General Counsel, this role leads all patent, trademark, trade secret, and intellectual property matters worldwide and manages a team of patent attorneys, patent agents, and IP paralegals. The Chief Intellectual Property Counsel is responsible for establishing and executing the Company’s intellectual property strategy to support business objectives, protect technological innovation, strengthen competitive advantages, and maximize the value of the Company’s intellectual property assets. The role serves as the Company’s primary subject-matter expert on all intellectual property matters and partners closely with engineering, executive leadership, product development, and business teams to identify, protect, and leverage innovation. Essential Duties and Responsibilities IP Strategy and Leadership Develop and execute the Company’s global intellectual property strategy in alignment with corporate, product, and technology objectives. Serve as the Company’s principal advisor on all intellectual property matters, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, licensing, freedom-to-operate, and IP risk management. Advise executive management and the General Counsel regarding strategic IP opportunities, risks, portfolio development, and competitive positioning. Establish policies, procedures, and best practices for intellectual property protection and management. Lead intellectual property portfolio reviews and provide recommendations regarding patent filing, maintenance, licensing, acquisition, enforcement, and abandonment decisions. Monitor industry and competitor patent activity and identify emerging opportunities and risks. Patent Portfolio Development Direct and oversee the Company’s invention disclosure program, including disclosure generation, harvesting, review, evaluation, prioritization, and filing decisions. Partner closely with engineering and technology teams to identify innovations suitable for patent protection. Responsible for drafting patent applications and reviewing those applications prepared by internal patent attorneys and patent agents to ensure consistency, quality, and strategic alignment. Establish patent filing strategies that optimize portfolio value while effectively managing costs. Patent Prosecution and Portfolio Management Lead prosecution of the Company’s U.S. patent portfolio, including preparation and filing of responses to Office Actions, examiner interviews, appeals, and related proceedings. Supervise and review patent prosecution activities conducted by internal legal professionals. Manage outside counsel responsible for foreign patent prosecution and ensure alignment with the Company’s global filing strategy. Oversee foreign filing decisions, national phase entries, continuation strategies, and portfolio optimization initiatives. Direct maintenance and annuity programs for worldwide patent assets, including budget oversight and strategic maintenance reviews. Develop and manage patent prosecution and maintenance budgets. IP Risk Management, Enforcement and Transactions Provide intellectual property support for commercial transactions, strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and licensing arrangements. Advise on freedom-to-operate considerations and patent clearance strategies. Lead responses to intellectual property disputes, invalidity assertions, licensing demands, and infringement allegations. Support litigation matters involving patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual property rights. Coordinate with internal and external counsel regarding IP-related disputes, transactions, and strategic initiatives. Trademark and