IP & Product Counsel

Freshworks is seeking an experienced IP & Product Counsel to join its legal team. This role involves providing strategic legal advice on intellectual property, product development, commercialization, open-source compliance, data privacy, and regulatory matters. The counsel will work closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Commercial teams to protect innovation, enable business growth, and ensure compliance. The ideal candidate is thoughtful, creative, collaborative, and thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic, and intellectually challenging work environment.

Must Have

• Identify, capture, and strategize patentable innovations.
• Liaise with external patent counsel and internal technical experts.
• Draft, review, and coordinate patent applications with USPTO.
• Evaluate invention disclosures and make strategic patent filing decisions.
• Prepare, file, and manage global trademark applications.
• Conduct trademark clearance searches and monitor registrations.
• Manage trademark enforcement actions (cease-and-desist, takedown, cybersquatting).
• Advise on branding strategies and trademark implications.
• Assist with patent and trademark litigation support.
• Advise Engineering teams on open-source software (OSS) license compliance.
• Handle inbound DMCA notices and copyright infringement claims.
• Provide legal guidance throughout the product lifecycle.
• Conduct legal due diligence for new product launches.
• Support commercial legal team on IP provisions in contracts.
• Draft, review, and negotiate agreements for third-party integrations.
• Advise on privacy and data security (GDPR, CCPA, DORA).
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments in IP, SaaS, AI.
• Review marketing materials for IP, regulatory, and compliance.
• Build trusted relationships with business stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement of legal processes.
• Educate internal teams on IP best practices and risk management.
• Graduate degree in Computer Science / Engineering and law.
• 8-12 years legal experience in IP, product counselling, technology law.
• Experience with USPTO and international trademark prosecution.
• Proven experience in patent prosecution, trademark management, IP portfolio strategy, enforcement.
• Strong background in advising on SaaS/software product development, commercialization, regulatory compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to draft, review, negotiate complex technology agreements.
• Familiarity with global data privacy regulations.
• Experience advising on open-source software licensing and compliance.

Good to Have

• Experience with non-US global IP filings.
• Experience with cross-border regulatory compliance.

Company Description

Organizations everywhere struggle under the crushing costs and complexities of “solutions” that promise to simplify their lives. To create a better experience for their customers and employees. To help them grow. Software is a choice that can make or break a business. Create better or worse experiences. Propel or throttle growth. Business software has become a blocker instead of ways to get work done.

There’s another option. Freshworks. With a fresh vision for how the world works.

At Freshworks, we build uncomplicated service software that delivers exceptional customer and employee experiences. Our enterprise-grade solutions are powerful, yet easy to use, and quick to deliver results. Our people-first approach to AI eliminates friction, making employees more effective and organizations more productive. Over 72,000 companies, including Bridgestone, New Balance, Nucor, S&P Global, and Sony Music, trust Freshworks’ customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) software to fuel customer loyalty and service efficiency. And, over 4,500 Freshworks employees make this possible, all around the world.

Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.

Job Description

Overview

Freshworks is seeking a hands-on, sharp, and experienced IP & Product Counsel to join our legal team to provide practical and strategic legal advice on intellectual property, product development, commercialization, open-source compliance, data privacy, and regulatory matters. You will work closely with Product, Engineering, Marketing, and Commercial teams to protect and advance Freshworks innovation agenda while enabling business growth. We seek a thoughtful, creative, and collaborative individual who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic, and intellectually challenging work environment.

Key Responsibilities

Intellectual Property Management

• Patent Strategy & Portfolio Management: Work closely with Product and Engineering teams to identify, capture, and strategize patentable innovations. Conduct brainstorming sessions to identify IP arising from product roadmaps and new features.
• Patent Prosecution: Serve as the primary liaison between external patent counsel and internal technical experts. Draft, review, and coordinate patent applications and claims with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (prior USPTO experience required). Maintain invention disclosure policies and procedures.
• Patent Review Board: Act as a key member of Freshworks' Patent Review Committee, evaluating invention disclosures and making strategic decisions on patent filings.
• Trademark Management: Prepare, file, and manage trademark applications globally. Conduct trademark clearance searches, monitor registrations, and manage enforcement actions including cease-and-desist letters, takedown notices, and cybersquatting matters. Must have experience with United States trademark process and Madrid protocol for international trademark registration.
• Brand Counsel: Advise Marketing and Product teams on branding strategies, trademark implications of new product names, and brand protection initiatives.
• IP Litigation Support: Assist internal and external counsel with patent and trademark litigation, claims review, oppositions, and dispute resolution matters.

Open Source & Software Compliance

• Open Source Compliance: Advise Engineering teams on open-source software (OSS) license compliance, including GPL, MIT, Apache, and other licenses. Support operationalization of OSS compliance processes and tooling.
• Copyright & DMCA: Handle inbound DMCA notices, copyright infringement claims, and takedown processes.

Product Counselling & Commercialization

• Product Development Advice: Provide legal guidance throughout the product lifecycle from ideation to launch on IP ownership, licensing, regulatory compliance, and risk mitigation.
• Product Launch Support: Partner with the Senior Product Counsel in conducting legal due diligence for new product launches and features. Develop and maintain product release checklists, playbooks, and scalable legal processes.
• Commercial Agreements: Support the commercial legal team in drafting and updating IP related provisions in contract templates, customer agreements, and playbooks (e.g., licensing terms, IP ownership, indemnities, warranties).
• Third-Party Integrations & Partnerships: Support the commercial legal team in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating agreements related to product development, integrations, developer tools, APIs, third-party software, and technology.

Privacy, Data Security & Regulatory Compliance

• Privacy & Data Protection: Advise on privacy and data security matters, including compliance with GDPR, CCPA, DORA and other global data protection regulations. Collaborate with Privacy and Security teams on product features involving data collection, processing, and storage.
• Legal Updates on IP & AI: Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting IP, product development, open source, SaaS, AI and technology sectors. Provide timely updates and actionable guidance to stakeholders. Provide guidance on responsible AI development and deployment.
• Regulatory Review: Review marketing materials, web properties, product communications, and documentation for IP, regulatory, and compliance considerations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Trusted Business Partner: Build strong, trusted relationships with Product, Engineering, Marketing, Sales, and other business stakeholders. Serve as a strategic advisor to the teams you support.
• Process Improvement: Drive continuous improvement of legal processes, templates, and playbooks to enable scalability and operational efficiency.
• Training & Education: Educate internal teams on IP best practices, compliance requirements, and risk management strategies.

Qualifications

• Education: Graduate degree in Computer Science / Engineering and law (both) with excellent academic performance.
• Experience: 8-12 years of legal experience in intellectual property, product counselling, and technology law, ideally in a combination of law firm and in-house roles in a multi-national company within the SaaS/software/technology industry. Experience of working with USPTO and international trademark prosecution is required. Experience with non-US global IP filings and cross-border regulatory compliance is preferred.
• IP Expertise: Proven experience in patent prosecution, trademark management, IP portfolio strategy, and IP enforcement.
• Product Counselling: Strong background in advising on product development, commercialization, and regulatory compliance for SaaS or software products.
• Contract Drafting & Negotiation: Demonstrated ability to draft, review, and negotiate complex technology agreements including licensing, development, and partnership agreements.
• Privacy & Data Security: Familiarity with global data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and their application to technology products.
• Open Source Knowledge: Experience advising on open-source software licensing and compliance.

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives and provide practical, business-oriented legal advice.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust and credibility across cross-functional teams.
• Agility: Flexibility and eagerness to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with competing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Problem-Solving: Creative, solutions-oriented mindset with a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating legal risks.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail in drafting, reviewing, and managing legal documents and processes.
• Ownership & Accountability: Self-starter with a high degree of ownership, accountability, and ability to work independently.

Additional Information

At Freshworks, we have fostered an environment that enables everyone to find their true potential, purpose, and passion, welcoming colleagues of all backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, religions, and ethnicities. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and believe that diversity in the workplace creates a more vibrant, richer environment that boosts the goals of our employees, communities, and business. Fresh vision. Real impact. Come build it with us.