WHY WE’RE HERE
Anduril’s Legal Team seeks our first in-house IP attorney — Legal Counsel - IP — to help build our Compliance and IP team supporting the future technology of defense. In this role, you will work across most aspects of Anduril’s business, from helping the business development team structure partnerships, to negotiating license and services agreements, working with engineers on patent development, and supporting our internal teams to manage Anduril’s licensed systems. This position reports to the Senior Director, Risk, Compliance, and IP, and it and can be based either in Costa Mesa, CA., or Washington DC.
Anduril is a fast-growing company at the early stages of growth. Consistent with this fast growth, members of Anduril’s Legal Team must be resourceful, creative, and eager to take ownership of complex matters. The Legal Counsel - IP role will require creativity and resourcefulness to pair commercial intellectual property protections with defense technologies of interest to national security, with a singular focus on helping Anduril deploy its path-making technology into operational settings for the United States and its allies. This role is not exclusively focused on US patent and trademark. In addition to US IP protections, you will work on all other aspects of Anduril’s business, from US government contracts, to negotiating license and services agreements, to bid protests and litigation, to supporting compliance and employment matters. Experience across all of these areas is not expected, but a willingness to learn and adapt is.
The Legal Counsel-IP will be expected to take responsibility for significant, material projects, which will have a significant impact on the company’s business. Our team is passionate about the law and policy of defense technology and you should have an independent interest in the key issues in this field. Anduril fosters a diverse, collaborative, culture with tremendous opportunities for ownership and professional growth.

WHAT YOU’LL DO 

• Be a key member of Anduril’s small, dynamic Legal Team.
• Drive development, management, and application of Anduril’s IP portfolio in coordination with business, financial, and compliance goals.
• Support customer growth by supporting Anduril’s supply chain and purchasing teams.
• Manage relationships with government and commercial customers and partners. High-trust professional relationships with Government officials are critical to Anduril’s continued success, and you will be called upon to develop and foster these relationships throughout your tenure.
• Provide legal counsel and day-to-day management of Anduril’s IP portfolio. Oversee and evaluate patent efforts, monitor for IP risks, lead or assist in key IP negotiations, resolve performance issues, and ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and policies.
• Manage outside counsel who advise on IP matters.
• Work on all legal aspects of Anduril’s business, from negotiating license and services agreements, to bid protests and litigation, to handling intellectual property, compliance, and employment matters. You will represent the legal team in relationships with outside counsel, vendors, engineers, executives, customers, and regulators.

CORE REQUIREMENTS 

• 6 years of practice in US IP law, particularly patent prosecution
• A deep understanding patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secrets, as well as USG government data rights issues
• Experience negotiating contracts, particularly IP assignment
• The judgment and initiative required to own multiple projects from end-to-end, whether guiding an Engineering Team through the lifecycle of a patent or handling unexpected legal issues that may arise in defense or start-up companies
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Quick learner and able to contribute to the broader start-up legal function, including topics that may be completely new to you: everything from IP and litigation to financing, securities, compliance, and employment law, depending on the needs of the day
• Licensed or able to be licensed to practice law in CA or DC
• U.S. Person status is required as this position needs to access export-controlled data.

WHAT WE VALUE IN THIS ROLE

• Significant international patent experience
• Pre-law school professional experience
• Combination of law-firm and in-house/government experience
• Experience with engineering, software, or other technology
• An interest in the law and policy of defense acquisitions with opinions about what is right or wrong in the field and how to fix it
• Preference given to candidates who have broad patent experience, including experience in a variety of venues and trial experience.

BENEFITS 

• Platinum Benefits: We offer top tier platinum coverage (medical, dental, vision, life) and cover 100 percent of the premiums for you.
• 16 Weeks paid parental leave for all caregivers
• Family planning: We’re proud to offer comprehensive family planning support. Fertility planning and treatment, adoption support, gestational carrier support and fertility preservation are all included.
• Unlimited Provisions: From breakfast to dinner, our kitchen team has you covered with healthy meals and snacks at every office.
• Commuter benefits depending on region
• Relocation assistance
• Unlimited time off