IP Counsel - Solutions Group

Job description

About the role Avery Dennison is seeking an IP Counsel, Solutions Group for its digital identification and connected products business in Mentor, OH. The Solutions Group provides intelligent labels (RFID inlays and tags), apparel branding and embellishment solutions, point-of-sale branding, printer/encoder systems, and shelf-edge productivity solutions serving end markets including retail apparel, food and grocery, logistics, beauty, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and e-commerce.

Reporting to the Sr. IP Counsel, Solutions Group, this position works closely with technology and innovation leadership, R&D, Marketing, and Procurement to provide hands-on legal support for RFID and intelligent label technologies, digital identification platforms, connected product solutions, antenna engineering, and apparel branding innovations across global IP strategy, domestic and international IP procurement, enforcement/litigation, due diligence/clearance, business counseling, and transactional support.

Key Responsibilities

This position operates on a hybrid schedule based out of Mentor, OH. Support the development and execution of a global IP strategy aligned with core business growth in intelligent labels, digital identification, connected products, and apparel branding platforms, with a focus on expansion in key international markets. Manage end-to-end global patent procurement (drafting, PCT/foreign filings, prosecution), triage R&D inventions to ensure high-value filing decisions, and support offensive and defensive IP strategies including competitive surveillance and EPO oppositions.

Conduct patentability, validity, and Freedom-to-Operate (FTO) analyses to clear new product launches, minimize infringement risks, and support IP litigation, adversarial proceedings, and dispute resolution in coordination with outside counsel and internal business partners. Draft, review, and negotiate complex IP and technology transactions—including Joint Development Agreements, inbound/outbound licensing, strategic vendor contracts, and research collaborations—and support IP due diligence and risk assessment for M&A, joint ventures, and venture investments.

Serve as an embedded legal partner to R&D, Commercial, Procurement, and Business Development teams, contributing to IP training programs on best practices, invention disclosures, and trade secret protection while optimizing global IP budgets and external legal spend.

Qualifications

Qualifications

Technical degree (B.S., M.S., or Ph.D.) in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Computer Science or Engineering, or Materials Science & Engineering, paired with a law degree (J.D.), registration with the USPTO, and admission to the Bar in good standing in at least one U.S. state. 8+ years of dedicated patent law experience, including patent drafting and prosecution, freedom to operate opinions, business counseling, and complex transactional support (including JDAs, licensing, and strategic sourcing agreements).

Deep technical familiarity with RFID inlays, NFC technology, antenna engineering, digital identification systems, connected product platforms, or software and data platform IP ecosystems (SaaS, cloud-based analytics). Superior business acumen and ability to connect legal strategies to commercial goals, paired with strong risk management capabilities and a solid grasp of finance and budgeting concepts. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated experience collaborating effectively across global teams, regional boundaries, and cultural backgrounds.