At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.
Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.
Dow has an opening for a Senior IP Counsel in its Commercial & Innovation Law group, located in Lake Jackson, TX or Midland, MI. In this role, you will provide counsel on Intellectual Property topics with emphasis on issues within Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics business.
Responsibilities
- Be a simplifier and solver of strategic-level intellectual property challenges for clients in a truly global, science and technology growth-driven company. Provide practical, business-oriented legal counsel on a wide range of intellectual property and innovation matters, including patents, trade secrets, licensing, technology development, and IP-related transactions.
- Review, draft, and negotiate a broad range of legal documents involving intellectual property rights, including technology development agreements, research collaborations, confidentiality agreements, license agreements, joint development agreements, and other commercial arrangements involving intellectual assets.
- Participate in business and functional meetings to proactively identify intellectual property risks and opportunities and develop solutions that enable innovation and business growth.
- Assist business, technology, and research organizations in developing and implementing intellectual property strategies that align with business objectives, support innovation, protect competitive advantages, and maximize the value of the Company's intellectual assets.
- Build and manage patent portfolios aligned with business strategy by drafting and prosecuting patent applications and managing outside counsel in the drafting and prosecution of patent applications.
- Host client legal training and education on a variety of topics, consistent with Legal team developed curriculum and risk mitigation practices supported by leadership.
- Exhibit team orientation, legal technology savviness, courage in the face of ambiguity, and bias toward action. Employ strong negotiation and communication skills (written and oral) and successfully manage time sensitive demands.
- Collaborate effectively within a team of dedicated legal professionals, business and functional clients, as well as non-legal, Company colleagues. Be open to sharing, growth, and learning in a team environment consistent with the goals and principles that guide the Legal department.
- Proactively communicate with Legal team management and clients.
- Effectively place work in the hands of the most appropriate legal resource for handling. Possess a strong bias for trust in, delegation to, and development of paralegals and other support staff to ensure allocation of work remains commensurate with education, experience, and demonstrated abilities.
- Manage outside counsel and other external resources in a manner consistent with Legal department policies, matching resource levels with project importance, affordability and overall risk appetite of the Company.
Required Qualifications
- Juris Doctor or Master of Laws.
- A minimum of 4 years practicing Intellectual Property law either in-house or with a major law firm.
- Admission to State Bar or eligible for admission.
- B.S. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or similar technology.
- Registered to practice before the USPTO.
- A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States. No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.
Preferred Qualifications
- 5+ years’ demonstrable competence practicing Intellectual Property law with a major law firm or corporation.
- Prior experience working for a chemical company or representing companies in chemical manufacturing matters.
- Strong law school credentials.
Skills
- Initiative – Must be a self-starter willing to take a strategic perspective to legal challenges, assume a leadership role, and support team endeavors; must possess legal knowledge and skills required to recognize, analyze, and resolve a variety of legal issues; must be able to perform under pressure in a professional and mature manner; must be able to recognize and take appropriate risks; and must be able to meet aggressive client-centric deadlines aimed at enhancing the customer experience.
- Teamwork/Interpersonal Effectiveness – Requires ability to think and act strategically and handle challenging legal issues while letting go and trusting other professionals (paralegals and other staff) to perform their core legal responsibilities. A flexible style and excellent interpersonal skills are essential characteristics required to interact effectively with a variety of people inside and outside of Company. Must be able to work (not always in a lead role) as part of a cross-functional, cross-regional team and build effective client relationships. Close teamwork and collegiality with others on the legal team is essential. Respect for inclusiveness and fostering diversity of thought and style are critical.
- Work Ethic – Intense dedication and commitment to the job is essential. Hours match the needs of clients and the demands of specific projects. The ability to be reached by clients and others on the legal staff during off-hours is important. Ease of interaction and spontaneous communication are also key to a strong and beneficial client counseling relationship.
- Market Focus – As applied to legal work, be keenly attuned to external factors affecting the business, as well as to internal cultural changes and strategic plans that affect client decision-making. Services provided must be consistent with a strong sense of legal ethics, Dow’s Code of Conduct, Dow’s Values, and integrated with client objectives.
- Consulting Skills – Understands the short- and long-term needs of clients and colleagues and provides expertise to improve business and functional results. Communicates about complex legal issues in a clear and effective manner to stakeholders in a variety of functions.
- Legal Knowledge and Judgment – Understands and appropriately and effectively responds to legal issues relevant to a senior level commercial legal role.
- Project Management – Applies skills on individual or team projects to utilize available resources, reduce cycle time, and provide value-added outcomes.
Additional Notes
Domestic relocation assistance is available for this position and may be provided based on eligibility.
Benefits – What Dow offers you
We invest in you.
Dow invests in total rewards programs to help you manage all aspects of you: your pay, your health, your life, your future, and your career. You bring your background, talent, and perspective to work every day. Dow rewards that commitment by investing in your total wellbeing.
Here are just a few highlights of what you would be offered as a Dow employee:
- Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity across our global markets, along with locally relevant incentives.
- Benefits and programs to support your physical, mental, financial, and social well-being, to help you get the care you need...when you need it.
- Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources to help you achieve your long term financial-goals.
- Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies depending on location).
- Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only).
- Dow will take the value of monthly student debt payments and apply them as if they are contributions to the Employees’ Savings Plan (401(k)), helping employees reach the Company match.
- Robust medical and life insurance packages that offer a variety of coverage options to meet your individual needs. Travel insurance is also available in certain countries/locations.
- Opportunities to learn and grow through training and mentoring, work experiences, community involvement and team building.
- Workplace culture empowering role-based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs.
- Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
- Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non-birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).
- Paid time off to care for family members who are sick or injured.
- Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group’s (ERG) participation.
- Wellbeing Portal for all Dow employees, our one-stop shop to promote wellbeing, empowering employees to take ownership of their entire wellbeing journey.
- On-site fitness facilities to help stay healthy and active (availability varies depending on location).
- Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships and more.
- Additionally, some of our locations might offer:
- Transportation allowance (availability varies depending on location)
- Meal subsidiaries/vouchers (availability varies depending on location)
- Carbon-neutral transportation incentives e.g. bike to work (availability varies depending on location)
Join our team, we can make a difference together.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.
As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment. We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career. Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.
Dow is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to providing opportunities without regard for race, color, religion, sex, including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity, national origin, age, disability and genetic information, including family medical history. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may call us at 1-833-My Dow HR (833-693-6947) and select option 8.