Associate General Counsel – Intellectual Property/ Transactions

It's a Perfect Day to change the world! At Perfect Day, we're doing just that.
Perfect Day was founded in 2014 to create delicious, nutritious dairy products that everyone can love. We’re using fermentation (not animals) to make dairy proteins that are the foundation for foods like ice cream, cheese and yogurt – all with the distinctive taste and textures that consumers demand, but without lactose or environmental downsides. Through partnerships with respected brands, we’re working to launch a whole range of dairy products that will help shape a humane, sustainable food system for future generations. 
Perfect Day’s Legal Department is seeking an intellectual property attorney with substantial transactional experience to serve as a key partner and business strategist to the company’s newly launched nth Bio™ - enterprise biology R&D and scale up services business unit, supporting a global team. This attorney will be passionate about both our mission to create a kinder, greener tomorrow and creating & leveraging solution-driven strategies to enable the growth and success of Perfect Day. This position reports directly to the General Counsel and may be remote or located in our Berkeley, CA headquarters. 

Key Responsibilities include:

• Function as lead counsel to the nth Bio™ and R&D business unit while collaborating with the Legal team.
• Review, draft and negotiate all intellectual property-related transactions such as collaboration, joint development, feasibility studies and licensing agreements. Provide support on MTAs and other commercial contracts.
• Oversee strategic IP matters including freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity analysis, and risk evaluation and mitigation strategies, providing guidance and mentoring to IP paraprofessionals.
• Advise and manage intellectual property enforcement, oppositions, and litigation.
• Partner in due diligence assessments.
• Deploy in-depth patent & scientific expertise to provide education, guidance & advice on patent and trade secret law issues to scientists conducting research and other business stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• Draft complex agreements without reliance on templates.
• Thrive in a start-up, fast-paced work environment of a diverse global organization.      
• Exercise strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and balance competing projects and responsibilities.
• Build effective relationships with relevant stakeholders at all levels of the global organization and be able to provide clear, strategic business-enabling strategy.
• Embrace agility and welcome iteration as tools of continuous improvement.
• Build sustainable external relationships with outside counsel and third-party collaborators & partners 

Additional skills:

• Act as a role model in, for example, having a solution-oriented mindset, collaborating across local & global teams, willingness to listen & learn from others, operating with high performing teamwork.
• Ability to effectively use available resources.
• Exhibit a “can do” attitude in anticipating and proactively resolving issues & conflicts.
• Embrace and foster a culture that reflects a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community
• Proactively develop and leverage a knowledge of industry trends and the competitive landscape.

Education and Experience:

• 12+ years of experience in intellectual property transactions, portfolio creation, strategy, and counseling, preferably including in-house. Experience working with or for a synthetic biology/ precision fermentation business a plus.
• An advanced degree in biology or other area relevant to biotech IP practice.
• A United States law degree (JD) from top tier accredited law school with a current good standing admission to at least one US state bar.
• Admission to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Travel Requirement:

• Travel is required up to 10% / year

It's a Perfect Day to change the world. The day when delicious dairy goodness is something everyone can love. The day we say goodbye to the downsides of factory farming. The day we throw a big party with luscious, animal-free milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, all made with Perfect Day! We hope you join us!