Corporate Counsel, IP

Corporate Counsel, IP Bellevue, Washington; Chicago, Illinois; New York, New York; Washington, DC

Get to know Okta Okta is The Worlds Identity Company. We free everyone to safely use any technology, anywhere, on any device or app. Our flexible and neutral products, Okta Platform and Auth0 Platform, provide secure access, authentication, and automation, placing identity at the core of business security and growth.

At Okta, we celebrate a variety of perspectives and experiences. We are not looking for someone who checks every single box - were looking for lifelong learners and people who can make us better with their unique experiences.

Join our team! Were building a world where Identity belongs to you.

Okta is the Worlds Identity Company. As a cloud-first SaaS provider, our mission is to enable any organization to use any technology by providing world-class security and identity solutions. The Okta Legal team is a high-impact group of professionals dedicated to navigating the complex landscape of technology law while fueling innovation. We are looking for a sharp, collaborative IP lawyer with a software engineering, computer science, or electrical engineering background to help protect our innovations and brand, and continuously shape and refine our global IP strategy.

More specifically, we seek to hire a Patent Attorney with a software and patent prosecution background and relevant technical degree (CS, EE, or ECE) to work with Oktas legal and business teams to further develop Oktas global patent portfolio and corresponding strategy. The scope of the role includes identifying patentable inventions and securing corresponding patent assets, providing expert technical and legal analysis, handling patent challenges, providing guidance on patent transactions and licensing matters, and supporting M&A and litigation.

The ideal candidate will also have experience with or a strong interest in handling and/or supporting all other aspects of Oktas intellectual property work, including trademark, copyright, and trade secrets and will support other legal projects as required.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Portfolio Management & Strategic Advice

• Oversee the lifecycle of Oktas IP assets, ensuring alignment with corporate development and business goals.
• Refine and execute offensive and defensive IP strategies to maintain Oktas competitive edge in the identity market.
• Serve as an advisor on IP-related business risks and emerging legal trends.
• Translate complex IP concepts into business-oriented advice for non-legal stakeholders.
• Refine company-wide IP policies, including invention disclosure programs and patent incentive schemes.

Patent

• Partner with engineering and product teams to identify patentable inventions and develop patent literacy among them.
• Collaborate with outside counsel on the drafting and prosecution of high-quality patent applications.
• Develop knowledge of industrys patent landscape to guide patent strategy and approach to patent drafting.
• Refine Oktas patent strategy to ensure broad protection of our core technologies and to put forward-looking systems in place to identify and protect our next-generation ideas.

Other IP Issues

• Advise on strategic trade secret issues and help implement related policies.
• Help provide guidance on software copyright protection and the use of OSS within Okta products, and manage copyright claims.
• Support the protection of the Okta and Auth0 brands through trademark registration and enforcement.
• Advise on interesting legal issues related to API integrations, digital content, professional services and developer agreements, and more.
• Draft, review, and negotiate IP-specific provisions in MSAs, JDAs, vendor contracts, and licensing agreements.
• Conduct IP due diligence for potential acquisitions and draft IP-related closing documents and transition service agreements.

Compliance and Policy

• Assist with IP-related compliance issues and industry standards relevant to SaaS and cybersecurity.
• Deliver training to employees on IP best practices and confidentiality.

Litigation

• Support all phases of IP litigation.

Qualifications

Education & Credentials:

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active Bar membership.
• Undergraduate or graduate degree(s) in computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, or the like.
• USPTO Registered Patent Attorney.

Experience:

• 5+ years of IP experience, including software patent prosecution.

Technical Savvy:

• Experience with SaaS, cloud-based software, or other relevant technology.

Mindset:

• A builder who thrives in fast-paced environments and can balance rigorous legal analysis with practical business needs.
• Flexibility and team mentality.
• Sense of humor.
• Ability and desire to work independently.

#LI-KC4 #LI-Hybrid

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Below is the annual base salary range for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York and Washington. Your actual base salary will depend on factors such as your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Okta offers equity (where applicable), bonus, and benefits, including health, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), flexible spending account, and paid leave (including PTO and parental leave) in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. To learn more about our Total Rewards program please visit: https://rewards.okta.com/us.

The annual base salary range for this position for candidates located in California (excluding San Francisco Bay Area), Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Washington is between: $180,000-$248,000 USD

What you can look forward to as a Full-Time Okta employee!

• Amazing Benefits
• Making Social Impact
• Developing Talent and Fostering Connection + Community at Okta

Some roles may require travel to one of our office locations for in-person onboarding.

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Okta The foundation for secure connections between people and technology

Okta is the leading independent provider of identity for the enterprise. The Okta Identity Cloud enables organizations to securely connect the right people to the right technologies at the right time. With over 7,000 pre-built integrations to applications and infrastructure providers, Okta customers can easily and securely use the best technologies for their business. More than 19,300 organizations, including JetBlue, Nordstrom, Slack, T-Mobile, Takeda, Teach for America, and Twilio, trust Okta to help protect the identities of their workforces and customers.

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