Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property, Office of General Counsel

About the Role

Reporting to the Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel (or designee), this Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property works within the University of Cincinnati's Office of General Counsel to support the University’s innovation ecosystem. The role is primarily focused on developing and implementing patent strategy and protecting and commercializing innovations, in collaboration with the Office of Innovation, Office of Research, and Office of Trademarks, Licensing & Brand Engagement. What You'll Do

• Collaborate with leadership to prepare, file, and prosecute patent applications, either directly or in coordination with external counsel.

• Provide strategic IP counsel to leadership and staff, including guidance on patentability, claim scope, prosecution strategy, filing decisions, and portfolio development.

• Collaborate with faculty, inventors, and staff to identify, evaluate, protect, and position intellectual property for commercialization.

• Oversee patent prosecution workflows, including docket management, review of prosecution materials, foreign filing decisions, and continuation strategy.

• Support copyright and trademark matters, including protection strategy, registration questions, ownership issues, and practical risk assessment.

• Provide high-quality legal services including counsel, representation, and advocacy to the University on multiple unrelated matters rapidly and accurately in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.

• Negotiate, draft, administer, and achieve legal compliance on a broad variety of commercial contracts, licensing agreements, leases, and other instruments.

• Provide legal advice and counsel in contracting, compliance, intellectual property, and other higher education legal practice areas including trademarks and licensing, labor and employment, student-related matters, contract review and negotiation, public procurement, privacy, public records, constitutional law, real estate, transactional matters, gifts and development, administrative law, and research-related matters such as ethics, intellectual property, compliance and contracting.

• Work closely and collaboratively with other members of the Office of General Counsel, administrators, faculty, and other stakeholders.

• Communicate effectively, work cooperatively, and interact with a varied community and multiple constituencies including administrators, staff, faculty, students, trustees, external professionals, research sponsors, and vendors.

• Position requires excellent oral and written communication skills; strong research and analytical skills; exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to multi-task, prioritize, and collaborate on a team in a fast-paced/high-volume, but positive and good-humored environment.

• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure.

• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to emergency situations and meet deadlines.

• Work with outside counsel, interact with other governmental offices as directed, and collaborate with affiliated organizations in a manner that prioritizes the University’s interests.

• Ability to work with limited supervision and to take initiative when appropriate.

• Maintain a physical presence when required on main campus, regional campuses, at governmental or quasi-governmental agencies and in court to serve as a representative of the Office of General Counsel and the University with the highest degree. What We're Looking For

• Excellent oral and written communication skills; strong research and analytical skills; exceptional interpersonal skills; ability to multi-task, prioritize, and collaborate on a team while advising stakeholders in a fast-paced/high-volume, but positive and good-humored environment.

• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under pressure; ability to respond quickly and appropriately to emergency situations and meet deadlines.

• Ability to work with outside counsel, interact with other governmental offices as directed, and collaborate with affiliated organizations in a manner that prioritizes the University’s interests.

• Ability to work with limited supervision and to take initiative when appropriate.