IP & Innovation Counsel – Europe & Africa

IP & Innovation Counsel – Europe & Africa

Location: London

With over 200 brands sold in nearly 180 countries, we’re the world’s leading premium drinks company. Bring your passion and use your curiosity as you explore, collaborate, and innovate to build brands consumers love. Together with passionate people from all over the world, you’ll test new ideas, learn and grow, and unlock a brighter, more exciting future.

Join us to create a career worth celebrating.

About You:

Diageo is looking for a talented and enthusiastic lawyer to join its global legal team and support the brand IP agenda in Europe and Africa regions.  We’re looking for an individual who can advise on all aspects of our IP, from conceptualisation through to creation, protection, commercialisation and implementation - across all brands and categories. This role will have accountability for Africa and specific markets within Europe and will work closely with and receive support from our IP paralegals.

About the Role:

The role reports into the Senior IP & Innovation Counsel – Europe, Middle East and Africa. It will advise across a complex range of territories comprising developed and developing markets. In addition to traditional IP, it will advise on advertising laws, industry specific regulations such as the European Spirit Drinks Regulations, geographical indications and day-to-day support to our Europe & African Innovation and Marketing teams, as well as working closely with our in-market counsels on enforcement issues (including copycats and parallel imports).

Europe and Africa comprise a broad range of countries with differing IP laws and challenges. We also distribute our products via a wide range of operating models across the region, including wholly owned, partly owned/JV entities as well as third party distributors.

Our innovation agenda is at the heart of its growth, with Europe often being the lead region for our cutting edge “disrupt” innovation pipeline, for example, ground-breaking innovations such as Captain Morgan Muck Pit Brew and Gordon’s Spritz Edition. This role will be central to enabling the success of that agenda. The role therefore provides an exciting range of issues and opportunities, as well as offering world class brand IP work and broader brand related work.

This role is also expected to advise in all aspects of IP clearance, prosecution, registration, conflicts and renewals for example:

• Conduct/review preliminary clearance searches (using industry tools and external legal support);
• Manage all aspects of IP protection and prosecution (e.g. deal with examination reports and supporting documentation) via our dedicated agent;
• Handle opposition/revocation/cancellation actions and pre-litigation disputes;
• Review and approve advertising and marketing materials;
• Review and approve product packaging and labels;
• Review and/or draft IP agreements, including licensing agreements, settlement agreements, co-existence agreements and partnership agreements; and
• Build IP awareness and provide training to educate our business on IP matters.

Experience required:

We are looking for a qualified lawyer operating at a 5+ level of PQE, with extensive experience across international trade marks / designs portfolios and copyright – contentious and non-contentious – must be qualified in the UK or the EU. Experience on advertising/marketing laws would be highly appreciated.

The role also requires:

• High levels of independent work and self-motivation.
• Team player who is energized to work with a dynamic team of 30 IP professionals around the globe.
• Ability to anticipate and help contribute to the strategy of the Global IP team.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to interact confidently with a diverse range of stakeholders on Legal, Marketing, Innovation and Regulatory functions.
• Manage relationships with external counsels in a cost-efficient manner.
• A proven ability to work with agility and pace.
• An ability to manage demanding workloads and timelines, and to prioritise what matters most.
• Excellent communication skills, providing clear and business oriented advise.
• Demonstrates deep personal accountability for great performance, stays focused on commercial priorities and critical business agenda.

Working with Us

Flexibility is key to success. From part-time and compressed hours to different locations our people work flexibly in ways to suit them. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you and we’ll work together so that you’re supported from day one.

We recognise and value performance, offering our people a highly competitive Rewards and Benefits package including:

• Contemporary work life balance policies and wellbeing activities
• On site gym or subsidised gym membership
• Contributary pension scheme
• Comprehensive health insurance for you and your family
• On site nursery or vouchers
• Annual bonus of circa 20% of your base salary (dependent on performance)
• Share options
• 28 days’ vacation per annum

Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.

We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.

Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.

Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you!

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