IP & Product Counsel

Freshworks is seeking a hands-on sharp and experienced IP & Product Counsel to
join our legal team to provide practical and strategic legal advice on intellectual
property product development commercialization open-source compliance data
privacy and regulatory matters. You will work closely with Product Engineering
Marketing and Commercial teams to protect and advance Freshworks innovation
agenda while enabling business growth. We seek a thoughtful creative and
collaborative individual who thrives in a fast-paced dynamic and intellectually
challenging work environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Intellectual Property Management

Patent Strategy & Portfolio Management: Work closely with Product and
Engineering teams to identify capture and strategize patentable innovations. Conduct brainstorming sessions to identify IP arising from product roadmaps
and new features.
Patent Prosecution: Serve as the primary liaison between external patent
counsel and internal technical experts. Draft review and coordinate patent
applications and claims with the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(prior USPTO experience required). Maintain invention disclosure policies and
procedures.
Patent Review Board: Act as a key member of Freshworks Patent Review
Committee evaluating invention disclosures and making strategic decisions on
patent filings.
Trademark Management: Prepare file and manage trademark applications
globally. Conduct trademark clearance searches monitor registrations and
manage enforcement actions including cease-and-desist letters takedown
notices and cybersquatting matters. Must have experience with United States
trademark process and Madrid protocol for international trademark
registration.
Brand Counsel: Advise Marketing and Product teams on branding strategies
trademark implications of new product names and brand protection
initiatives.
IP Litigation Support: Assist internal and external counsel with patent and
trademark litigation claims review oppositions and dispute resolution
matters.

Open Source & Software Compliance
Open Source Compliance: Advise Engineering teams on open-source
software (OSS) license compliance including GPL MIT Apache and other
licenses. Support operationalization of OSS compliance processes and tooling.
Copyright & DMCA: Handle inbound DMCA notices copyright infringement
claims and takedown processes.

Product Counselling & Commercialization
Product Development Advice: Provide legal guidance throughout the
product lifecycle from ideation to launch on IP ownership licensing regulatory
compliance and risk mitigation.
Product Launch Support: Partner with the Senior Product Counsel in
conducting legal due diligence for new product launches and features. Develop
and maintain product release checklists playbooks and scalable legal
processes.
Commercial Agreements: Support the commercial legal team in drafting and
updating IP related provisions in contract templates customer agreements
and playbooks (e.g. licensing terms IP ownership indemnities warranties).
Third-Party Integrations & Partnerships: Support the commercial legal
team in drafting reviewing and negotiating agreements related to product
development integrations developer tools APIs third-party software and
technology.

Privacy Data Security & Regulatory Compliance
Privacy & Data Protection: Advise on privacy and data security matters
including compliance with GDPR CCPA DORA and other global data protection
regulations. Collaborate with Privacy and Security teams on product features
involving data collection processing and storage.

Legal Updates on IP & AI: Monitor legal and regulatory developments
affecting IP product development open source SaaS AI and technology
sectors. Provide timely updates and actionable guidance to stakeholders.
Provide guidance on responsible AI development and deployment.
Regulatory Review: Review marketing materials web properties product
communications and documentation for IP regulatory and compliance
considerations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
Trusted Business Partner: Build strong trusted relationships with Product
Engineering Marketing Sales and other business stakeholders. Serve as a
strategic advisor to the teams you support.
Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement of legal processes
templates and playbooks to enable scalability and operational efficiency.
Training & Education: Educate internal teams on IP best practices
compliance requirements and risk management strategies.

Qualifications :

Education: Graduate degree in Computer Science / Engineering and law (both)
with excellent academic performance.
Experience: 8-12 years of legal experience in intellectual property product
counselling and technology law ideally in a combination of law firm and in-
house roles in a multi-national company within the SaaS/software/technology
industry. Experience of working with USPTO and international
trademark prosecution is required. Experience with non-US global IP
filings and cross-border regulatory compliance is preferred.
IP Expertise: Proven experience in patent prosecution trademark
management IP portfolio strategy and IP enforcement.
Product Counselling: Strong background in advising on product
development commercialization and regulatory compliance for SaaS or
software products.

Contract Drafting & Negotiation: Demonstrated ability to draft review and
negotiate complex technology agreements including licensing development
and partnership agreements.
Privacy & Data Security: Familiarity with global data privacy regulations
(GDPR CCPA etc.) and their application to technology products.
Open Source Knowledge: Experience advising on open-source software
licensing and compliance.

Skills & Competencies
Strategic Thinking: Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives and
provide practical business-oriented legal advice.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to
translate complex legal concepts into clear actionable guidance for non-legal
stakeholders.
Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust and
credibility across cross-functional teams.
Agility: Flexibility and eagerness to work in a fast-paced dynamic
environment with competing priorities and tight deadlines.
Problem-Solving: Creative solutions-oriented mindset with a proactive
approach to identifying and mitigating legal risks.

Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail in drafting reviewing and
managing legal documents and processes.
Ownership & Accountability: Self-starter with a high degree of ownership
accountability and ability to work independently

Additional Information :

At Freshworks we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential purpose and passion welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds genders sexual orientations religions and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees communities and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time