Senior Counsel - IP

Airbnb’s Legal Department is a global team that will require working with diverse international colleagues around the world. The successful candidate will be someone who is adaptable, collaborative and embodies Airbnb’s Core Values. Candidates will be required to approach complex legal issues with a balance for local and global perspectives, while being adaptable to cultural differences and nuances. A genuine and demonstrated interest in Airbnb and a commitment to ethics, integrity and fostering a workplace that emphasizes diversity and belonging is a must.

The Community You Will Join: 

Airbnb’s Legal team embodies the company’s innovative, forward-thinking spirit. At the frontier of the new sharing economy, Airbnb is breaking new ground in matters of policy, law, and government relations. Where some see obstacles, we see the opportunity to find creative, practical solutions, right at the cutting edge. Our adventurous, fast-moving legal team is committed to building a team of talented, collaborative and self-motivated legal professionals across the globe who believe in Airbnb’s mission and leading as a 21st century company.

The Difference You Will Make:

Airbnb is seeking an exceptional, business-oriented, and pragmatic attorney with deep expertise in managing trademark, copyright, and domain name strategies and portfolios for global consumer and enterprise companies to join our growing legal team. As Senior Counsel, IP reporting to the Lead Counsel, IP, you will work on the full spectrum of trademark and brand protection issues, including clearance, prosecution, enforcement, and licensing, as well as to advise on marketing and advertising legal issues.

A Typical Day: 

• Advise on the availability and commercial advisability of proposed trademarks and domain names, including conducting trademark searches and providing guidance on use and registration issues

• Manage ongoing prosecution and maintenance of global trademark, domain name, and copyright portfolios for Airbnb, HotelTonight and other acquired brands

• Assess and action trademark dispute matters, including oppositions and cancellation actions, and devise creative, business-driven resolutions to trademark/brand protection disputes in collaboration with key business partners, outside counsel, and other legal team members as needed

• Manage or advise on trademark and copyright takedown policies and procedures

• Draft and/or review trademark/copyright/IP language for a wide variety of agreements, including for vendors, artists, corporate sponsorships, music licensing, real estate deals, influencer/celebrity engagements, photography licenses, employee IP assignments, etc.

• Proactively audit trademark and domain name portfolios and make recommendations to continue protecting or abandoning trademarks and/or right-sizing domain name portfolios in collaboration with various internal stakeholders

• Draft UDRP complaints and address domain disputes globally

• Conduct due diligence on intellectual property aspects of acquisitions/divestitures, including review of purchase/sale documentation and analysis of disclosed IP and managing integration of IP into Airbnb portfolio

• Stay apprised of developments in legal and regulatory developments affecting Airbnb’s trademark, copyright, and domain name portfolios/strategies and brand protection activities

• Assist in litigation and regulatory investigations that may arise in connection with the company’s marketing, advertising, production and creative content creation activities, as needed

• Provide marketing legal advice or marketing transactional support as needed

Your Expertise:

• JD and a minimum of eight (8) years of trademark/copyright/domain name and brand protection counseling (with a strong preference for relevant in-house experience with leading global technology company/ies)

• A strong working knowledge of the Airbnb platform, evolving product lines, and competitive landscape

• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and evolve global trademark/copyright/domain name and brand protection strategies and workflows

• Experience advising on trademark prosecution for a global company

• Experience conducting and advising on international trademark clearance searches in-house 

• Experience with trademark/copyright/domain name M&A and integration matters

• Strong preference for trademark litigation experience, US and non-US

• Demonstrated ability to deliver timely, effective, and strategic legal advice that is current with the evolving legal and regulatory expectations

• Established ability to independently manage medium to high complexity matters, including issues of first impression

• Skilled at contributing to strategic business conversations, understanding key business priorities and revenue goals, and integrating these into ongoing issue spotting and risk assessments on trademark/copyright/domain name matters and brand protection activities

• Able to create and deliver engaging educational programs related to trademark/copyright/domain name matters and brand protection activities

• Demonstrated ability to perform beyond expectations in a fast-paced high growth environment, including the ability to multi-task and effectively prioritize.  

• Experience working with or in support of diverse communities

• Familiarity with CDA 230, DMCA, DSA, E-Commerce Directive, and other regulations related to internet platforms preferred

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.  

• High level of integrity, professionalism, intellectual curiosity and willingness to grow.

• Member of a state bar (in good standing)

Your Location:

This position is US - Remote Eligible. The role may include occasional work at an Airbnb office or attendance at offsites, as agreed to with your manager. While the position is Remote Eligible, you must live in a state where Airbnb, Inc. has a registered entity. Click here for the up-to-date list of excluded states. This list is continuously evolving, so please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list  If your position is employed by another Airbnb entity, your recruiter will inform you what states you are eligible to work from.

Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging:

Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

We strive to also provide a disability inclusive application and interview process. If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation in order to submit an application, please contact us at: reasonableaccommodations@airbnb.com. Please include your full name, the role you’re applying for and the accommodation necessary to assist you with the recruiting process. 

We ask that you only reach out to us if you are a candidate whose disability prevents you from being able to complete our online application.