IP Counsel/Senior Counsel

Job Description

Location: Louisville, KY or Parsippany, NJ

Title: Intellectual Property Counsel

About Midea America Corp

Midea America Corp. is a U.S. subsidiary within Midea Group, the Fortune 500 giant known for making life easier for millions around the globe. As the world’s top maker of home appliances, Midea is proud of its 166,000+ employees and presence in 200+ countries, including here in the U.S.

Headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., with an innovation hub in Louisville, Kentucky, Midea America provides practical innovations that surprise and delight, creating moments to cherish at home.

Midea's lineup of appliances - from refrigerators to air conditioners, laundry solutions and floor care - are high quality, reliable, and affordable. By thoughtfully engineering performance, convenience, and design into every product, Midea delivers on the promise of every appliance.

Job Summary

As we expand our footprint in the United States, we seek a US IP Attorney to strengthen our intellectual property protection and strategy. This position servers as a trust member of our U.S. shared service center (SSC) to oversee Midea’s intellectual property matters in the United States. The role involves collaborating with local, regional, and global R&D teams, IP teams, outside counsel, and business units to ensure the company’s innovations are adequately protected and aligned with Midea’s business and global objectives. This position can be based in Louisville, KY, or Parsippany, NJ.

Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Midea America Corp. will not sponsor work authorization and/or visa for this role.

Key Responsibilities:

Cross-functional Communications

·        Communicate with Global IP Team.

·        Develop BU/PD IP strategies on regional level with R&D.

·        Review patent drafting and prosecution from law firms.

·        Align global and regional IP portfolios.

·        FTO and patent searches.

·        Consult & train regional R&D employees.

Licensing & IP Transactions

·       Lead and negotiate IP licensing agreements, technology transfer deals, and strategic partnerships.

·       Review and draft joint development agreements, NDAs, and collaboration contracts involving IP rights.

IP Litigation & Enforcement

·       Coordinate with local, regional, and global IP teams on IP risk management and pre-litigation strategies.

·       Develop enforcement programs against counterfeit products, unauthorized use of Midea’s IP, and trade secret misappropriation.

·       Oversee IP litigation and disputes in the US, including patent infringement lawsuits and ITC Section 337 investigations.

Trademark & Brand Protection

·       Work with the branding and marketing teams to register, enforce, and protect Midea’s trademarks in the US.

·       Address trademark oppositions, domain name disputes, and brand misuse cases.

Qualification & Requirements:

·       Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited US law school. Active bar member in good standing.

·       Admitted to Practice law in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

·       5+ years of IP experience at in-house legal department or law firms.

·       Strong understanding of US patent laws, USPTO procedures, and IP litigation strategies.

·       Experience working with cross-functional local and global teams, particularly in consumer electronics, appliances, or manufacturing industries.

·       Experience leading and multitasking on competing projects and priorities in a fast-paced work environment.

·       Excellent negotiation, analytical, and communication skills.

·       Mandarin proficiency is a plus but not required.

·       Leadership attitude and strategic thinking.

Midea America Corp, is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability., or other applicable legally protected characteristics