Director II, Associate General Counsel - Trademarks and Brand Protection - Western Digital

At Western Digital, our vision is to power global innovation and push the boundaries of technology to make what you thought was once impossible, possible.

At our core, Western Digital is a company of problem solvers. People achieve extraordinary things given the right technology. For decades, we’ve been doing just that. Our technology helped people put a man on the moon.

We are a key partner to some of the largest and highest growth organizations in the world. From energizing the most competitive gaming platforms, to enabling systems to make cities safer and cars smarter and more connected, to powering the data centers behind many of the world’s biggest companies and public cloud, Western Digital is fueling a brighter, smarter future.

Binge-watch any shows, use social media or shop online lately? You’ll find Western Digital supporting the storage infrastructure behind many of these platforms. And, that flash memory card that captures and preserves your most precious moments? That’s us, too.

We offer an expansive portfolio of technologies, storage devices and platforms for business and consumers alike. Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk® and WD® brands.

Today’s exceptional challenges require your unique skills. It’s You & Western Digital. Together, we’re the next BIG thing in data.

Western Digital is an industry-leading provider of storage technologies and solutions that enable people to create, leverage, experience and preserve data. Western Digital’s trademarks, logos and slogans are valuable assets that distinguish our products from those of our competitors. Western Digital’s global Trademark & Brand Protection team focuses on protecting and managing its trademark portfolio and enforcing against unauthorized or improper use of those assets.

This role will be responsible for the Company’s strategic development of its worldwide trademark portfolio, oversee trademark licensing and transactional work, and brand enforcement support for the Company’s brand enforcement programs in the Americas and EMEA. The position reports to the Company’s Senior Director responsible global Brand Enforcement and Trademark Prosecution.

For trademark prosecution, responsibilities include working with business teams and outside counsel to create and implement a strategic framework for developing, maintaining and controlling use of the Company’s trademark portfolio. Additionally, this attorney is expected to know and learn developments in trademark prosecution rules/laws and advise on strategic trademark and brand initiatives globally.

For brand protection, this role will support strategy and implementation of online and offline brand protection programs to remove counterfeit or unauthorized products from retail and supply channels to protect and enhance the Western Digital brands.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Trademark Prosecution:

• Develop and manage the Company’s strategy for global trademark preparation, filing and prosecution of trademark applications.
• Counsel and collaborate with internal clients on strong trademark/product name selection, including attendance at key marketing, product development and kickoff meetings.
• Advise internal clients on trademark clearance results, risks of adoption for proposed new marks, and measures to mitigate risk.
• Register new marks (classes, description of goods/services) using clear criteria for registration of marks.
• Respond to office actions issued by global Trademark Examiners to allow the Company to obtain trademark registrations for pending marks. Requires coordination with APAC Trademark/Brand Enforcement attorney to ensure consistent arguments.
• Ensure the Company has the right to use its trademarks by maintaining and understanding data/information on countries where the Company’s products are distributed, sold and serviced.
• Protect the Company’s right to enforce its brand and trademarks by maintaining data/information on countries where the Company faces counterfeit or infringement risks.
• Oversee procedures for gathering evidence of use of WD trademarks worldwide to maintain validity of WD trademarks.
• Maintain understanding and knowledge of WD products and services.
• Manage outside counsel on worldwide trademark oppositions and cancellations to protect enforcement rights/ avoid brand dilution.
• Promote awareness of the Company’s trademark portfolio and usage guidelines by training employees and authorized third parties (e.g., marketing firms, social media firms, promoters).
• Collaborate with global brand protection leads to establish a strategy and evidence for expanding well-known status of WD trademarks.
• Maintain trademark usage guidelines for customers (e.g., distributors, retailers) to protect the Company’s trademark rights and to help avoid brand dilution.
• Oversee trademark internal quality control process.
• Manage and control licensing of WD trademarks, including advising on trademark license provisions in the context of agreements with partners.
• Support trademark review of all forms of marketing, advertising and packaging materials compliance with the Company’s trademark usage guidelines.
• Handle trademark diligence with respect to corporate transactions.
• Collaborate with internal copyright experts to determine strategy for obtaining copyright protection for the Company’s logos.
• Manage a team of a trademark paralegal and a junior trademark attorney.

Brand Protection

• Implement brand protection programs in specific jurisdictions within the construct of the global company strategy.
• Manage pre-litigation enforcement activity including cease and desist letters, notice and takedown requests, commercial correspondence, and negotiating settlements
• Manage criminal and civil pre-litigation activities, such as raids and investigations, and working with local counsel on strategies for filing and managing to conclusion criminal and civil cases.
• Oversee investigations including advising on strategy, drafting documents, interviewing internal witnesses and experts, compiling and presenting data, and authenticating products as part of pre-litigation and litigation enforcement activities.
• Conduct factual research of infringing activity, including orchestrating test buys, identifying illicit behavior, identifying counterfeit products, and performing or coordinating further product testing and analysis.
• Collect and preserve evidence of wrongdoing to maintain availability of all enforcement options.
• Partner with internal and external teams to identify new targets and fraudulent activities.
• Collaborate with external partners such as customs, state and federal law enforcement agencies and managing outside counsel.
• Maintain and ensure ethical standards and professional conduct of internal and external investigations.
• Identify and prioritize jurisdictions for new enforcement options and implement them.
• Use internal and external digital tools to effectively manage cases, report results, and measure return on brand protection and enforcement activity.

• J.D. degree from accredited law school; top 50 law school strongly preferred.
• Current member of a state bar in good standing.
• 10+ years post bar experience in trademark and intellectual property law, including experience in trademark prosecution/counseling/strategy, trademark litigation and brand enforcement with 6 years of experience at a top tier law firm and 4 or more years of experience in-house preferred.
• Demonstrated experience as a proactive and strategic trademark and brand protection partner to internal business teams.
• Ability to communicate legal advice and risk mitigation strategies in clear and understandable terms to internal clients that demonstrates an understanding of the business and business processes.
• Experience managing a docket for a large global trademark portfolio, including conducting global clearances.
• Experience handling litigation matters, including evidence preparation and preservation and managing case deadlines.
• Experience handling external investigations in the context of litigation desired
• Familiarity with state and federal criminal and civil legal systems; knowledge of foreign jurisdictions desirable.
• Strong understanding of trademark laws of foreign jurisdictions.
• Knowledge and ability to identify, handle and advise on complex issues in many disciplines, with particular expertise in trademark law and intellectual property.
• Strong interest in understanding and working with technology products.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, effectively handle shifting priorities and manage and prioritize multiple projects.
• Has a customer service focus and works collaboratively with internal partners and has an ability to work effectively with colleagues around the world.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the company.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, problem-solving ability, strong organizational and time and project management skills.
• Attentively listens to others and encourages the open expression of diverse ideas and opinions.
• Provides timely and helpful information to others across the company.
• Owns and manages various projects and new opportunities with enthusiasm and is comfortable with multi-tasking.
• Effective at conflict resolution skills to manage difficult situations effectively.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing a high-performing and collaborative team.
• Instills trust and develops/maintains good working relationships with colleagues, internal partners and/or external contacts and counsel.
• Drives results while independently performing tasks and making recommendations regarding appropriate courses of action to functional leaders and client groups.
• Committed to growth mindset and continuous improvement.
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability in managing functional objectives and internal and external stakeholders.
• Domestic and International travel may be required when it is safe to do so.

Western Digital is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants and employees and will not discriminate based on their race, color, ancestry, religion (including religious dress and grooming standards), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), gender (including a person’s gender identity, gender expression, and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person’s assigned sex at birth), age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status (including domestic partnership status), physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, protected medical and family care leave, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. We also prohibit harassment of any individual on any of the characteristics listed above. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all aspects of employment. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law poster.

Western Digital thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

Western Digital is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at jobs.accommodations@wdc.com to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

Based on our experience, we anticipate this job will close on or before 07/04/2024 If we have not closed our search by this date, we will update this posting with a new anticipated close date.

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Compensation & Benefits Details

• An employee’s pay position within the salary range may be based on several factors including but not limited to (1) relevant education; qualifications; certifications; and experience; (2) skills, ability, knowledge of the job; (3) performance, contribution and results; (4) geographic location; (5) shift; (6) internal and external equity; and (7) business and organizational needs.
• The salary range is what we believe to be the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting.  We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in California, Colorado, New York or remote jobs that can be performed in California, Colorado and New York.  This range may be modified in the future.
• You will be eligible to participate in Western Digital’s Short-Term Incentive (STI) Plan, which provides incentive awards based on Company and individual performance.  Depending on your role and your performance, you may be eligible to participate in our annual Long-Term Incentive (LTI) program, which consists of restricted stock units (RSUs) or cash equivalents, pursuant to the terms of the LTI plan. Please note that not all roles are eligible to participate in the LTI program, and not all roles are eligible for equity under the LTI plan. RSU awards are also available to eligible new hires, subject to Western Digital’s Standard Terms and Conditions for Restricted Stock Unit Awards.
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid vacation time; paid sick leave; medical/dental/vision insurance; life, accident and disability insurance; tax-advantaged flexible spending and health savings accounts; employee assistance program; other voluntary benefit programs such as supplemental life and AD&D, legal plan, pet insurance, critical illness, accident and hospital indemnity; tuition reimbursement; transit; the Applause Program, employee stock purchase plan, and the Western Digital Savings 401(k) Plan.
• Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.