Legal Counsel (Intellectual Property)

Sage is looking for a Legal Counsel with a passion for intellectual property to join our dynamic in-house IP legal team. This role offers a unique opportunity to grow into an IP management position within a prestigious FTSE 100 company, under the guidance of experienced professionals. You'll be at the forefront of reviewing and drafting a variety of IP and commercial contracts, including licensing, assignment, and R&D agreements. You'll manage our IP protection and enforcement processes, ensuring smooth operations from the execution of IP formality documents to handling prosecution deadlines and dispute.

Lead critical tasks like trademark renewals, online brand infringement resolutions, third-party trademark application reviews, and drafting cease and desist letters. Additionally, you'll provide critical administrative support for invention capture, trade secret capture, and patent portfolio management, gaining hands-on experience with international patent filings and renewals.

This is a hybrid role, with 3 days working out of our Cobalt office and 2 days remote.

What will I be doing?

We’re looking for an IP Legal Counsel to manage and enhance our IP processes, ensuring seamless legal operations and brand protection.

In this role, you’ll monitor and triage queries for the Legal IP Team, gathering key information and documenting tasks efficiently. You’ll oversee IP records, docketing, and formalities, ensuring deadlines are met for key filings like powers of attorney, assignments, and disclosures. Working closely with Senior Legal Counsel, you’ll assist in drafting contracts, managing trademark disputes, and conducting preliminary trademark searches to mitigate risks.

You’ll take the lead on vital IP processes—including monitoring third-party trademark activity, overseeing renewals, and managing trade secrets and copyright filings. Additionally, you’ll supervise paralegal services, drive process improvements, and develop self-serve templates and policies. Conduct legal research, manage inventor incentive programs, and embed governance policies across the organization through training and communications, this is a role where you can truly make an impact.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are eager to shape the future of IP management, this could be the role for you!

What are we looking for?

• We’re seeking a detail-oriented and proactive IP Legal Counsel with a strong understanding of intellectual property principles and legal processes
• You’ll need fluency in English, some experience in reviewing contracts (ideally IP clauses) and drafting legal documents such as assignments, licenses, and cease and desist letters
• Experience in trademark portfolio management, clearance, copyright registration, patent management, open-source licensing is a plus.
• Knowledge of patent lifecycles, open-source licensing, and source code copyright filing is a plus.
• You should be confident in conducting legal research, training non-specialist audiences, and refining policies and procedures.
• A qualified lawyer or LLM in Intellectual Property with previous transactional IP experience (in-house or law firm) is required
• Passion for technology and emerging fields like generative AI is highly valued.

Your benefits (Only Applicable for UK Based Roles)

Benefits video – https://youtu.be/TCMtTYUUiuU

• Generous bonuses and pension scheme: Up to 8% matched pension contribution plus 2% top-up by Sage.
• 25 days of paid annual leave with the option to buy up to another 5 days
• Paid 5 days yearly to volunteer through our Sage Foundation
• Enhanced parental leave
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• Work away scheme for up to 10 weeks a year
• Access to various helpful memberships for finances, health and wellbeing