Patent Attorney

Patent Attorney

Country/Region: US

Location:

Northville, MI, US

Req ID 90674 | Northville, United States, ZF Active Safety US Inc.

Patent Attorney

About the Team:

The US Patent Attorney will collaborate with the European and Asian IP Counsels and will provide strategic vision and daily operation oversight in managing current and future intellectual property to develop and implement overall directives. Particular aspects of this role will be portfolio management, intellectual property business transactions, dispute and litigation support, licensing, inhouse patent drafting and patent prosecution, support for enforcement and defense of third-party claims, publication review, due diligence, and opinion work. The US Patent Attorney will be an integral working partner with the company's global business units and product development organizations, handling intellectual property assets and collaborating with intellectual property teams thereby supporting many of the ZF divisions.

What you can look forward to as a Patent Attorney:

• Report to the ZF US Lead Counsel and hold responsibility for certain facets of the in-house intellectual property practice.
• Manage the invention disclosure process and work closely with internal clients on all invention matters, including internal preparation of patent applications and patent prosecution, while directing and overseeing outside patent counsel.
• Take responsibility for US patent infringement matters, patent licensing cases, transaction and agreement support, freedom to operate evaluations, and other matters relating to part of the company’s intellectual property assets, focusing on US matters.
• Provide general commercial advice across the company's operations, including contract negotiation and review under US law, software licensing consistent with US practice, and IP due diligence and contracts for divestitures, acquisitions, investments, and joint ventures.
• Provide expertise and training to Engineering teams on US intellectual property policies, procedures, and topics.

Your profile as a Patent Attorney:

• Juris Doctor degree and fully qualified Patent Attorney admitted to the USPTO; technical degree in electrical, electronics, computer engineering, physics, electro-mechanical or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of intellectual property law experience within a law firm and/or in-house, including electronics-based technology and software at a high technology company or law firm; automotive experience, software experience, open-source compliance knowledge, and an electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics or physics background valued.
• Excellent knowledge of US laws and practices, with expertise in filing patent applications and related prosecution filings with the USPTO.
• Excellent oral and written communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships with engineers, senior executives, and legal and IP colleagues in an international multi-cultural environment, and to train team members and in-house clients.
• Strategic, well-organized thinker who can advise on legal risks within a business context and manage numerous complex projects under tight deadlines in a team environment, with a commitment to professionalism, integrity, and collegiality.

What We Offer:

• A supportive collaborative team environment
• Annual Incentive Plan
• Paid Vacation
• 401k Plan
• Health Care Benefits
• Paid Holidays
• A Hybrid Work Schedule (2 days remote/3 days onsite)
• A strong diversity culture
• Supportive Employee Groups and community outreach activities

Be part of our ZF team as Patent Attorney and apply now!

Contact

Bethany Vijayakumar

+1 734 855 3882

What does DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) mean for ZF as a company?

At ZF, we continuously strive to build and maintain a culture where inclusiveness is lived and diversity is valued. We actively seek ways to remove barriers so that all our employees can rise to their full potential. We aim to embed this vision in our legacy through how we operate and build our products as we shape the future of mobility.

Find out how we work at ZF: