Assistant General Counsel – IP and Transactions

Supernal is at the forefront of creating emerging mobility solutions that will foster the development of human-centered cities. We are designing a completely new electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft tailored to the mobility needs of future cities. This allows passengers a seamless intermodal journey that safely transports them to their final destination. We fuse research in autonomy, robotics, aviation and services to define a new category of mobility for the world’s communities. We believe in creative thinking and collaboration to help build a better mobility experience for everyone, improving people’s ability to move – whether for work or play.

Supernal seeks an experienced attorney to lead a variety of functions for the Legal team. The successful candidate will be responsible for (1) leading and implementing the company’s intellectual property strategy, (2) managing all aspects of the company’s transactional work (including strategic mergers/acquisitions), (3) coordinating all aspects of legal corporate governance, and (4) overseeing the negotiation and maintenance of the company’s strategic contracts with suppliers, vendors, contractors, affiliates and other partners. This role will work closely with the legal, compliance, engineering, commercial, and operational teams on legal matters, as well as building policies and procedures to ensure the company operates to the highest levels of legal integrity.

The ideal candidate will be an attorney with significant in-house experience with a background in intellectual property, technology transactions, and corporate law. A successful candidate will also have experience supporting active research and development programs in the aerospace, transportation, or technology industry.

This position will be required to work on-site 5 days a week.

• Leading a team of attorneys and legal professionals (including outside counsel) responsible for the legal team’s activities and responsibilities
• Providing subject matter expertise and advice to the company’s business units on intellectual property protection, risk mitigation, and corporate transaction and governance strategies to support the needs of individual business units
• Strategically handle all aspects of the company’s intellectual property operations, including patent and trademark portfolio development, freedom to operate analysis on developing products and technologies, claims assessment and identification by and against third parties, and transactional support on all matters related to intellectual property
• Support all aspects of dispute resolution, defense and enforcement, licensing, and settlement activities
• Other duties as assigned

• Law degree (J.D.) required
• A minimum of ten (10) years of legal practice as in-house counsel or with a law firm
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience as an IP or tech transactions attorney, preferably in-house
• Significant intellectual property experience, including patent prosecution and portfolio management, freedom-to-operate analysis and strategy, transactions, and disputes, preferably in an aerospace, transportation, or technology industry
• Significant familiarity with corporate governance and ability to advise the Board on corporate matters
• Experience with privacy issues (US and abroad) and cyber security issues is preferred
• Admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia or California
• Ability to fashion practical business solutions to complex legal situations, applying negotiation skills as appropriate
• Ability to distill and articulate sophisticated legal concepts into concise and plain English that business partners can both understand and readily act upon
• Experience drafting, negotiating, and finalizing different types of agreements, including joint development contracts
• Ability to negotiate effectively with internal partners and cultivate collaboration and compromise
• Developed sense of judgment, risk management skills, and ability to balance legal matters involving multiple collaborators and various priorities; ability to balance regulatory obligations and reputational risks in an objective, practical way; and proven ability to grasp the “big picture”
• Meticulous attention to detail and form with excellent organizational skills
• Extremely flexible, highly organized, and able to shift priorities easily
• High degree of personal ethics, integrity, and accountability, with particular emphasis on team building and inclusion
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including proactive delivery of communication and follow-up
• Ability to independently prioritize and accomplish work within time constraints

• Registered patent attorney preferred, but not required
• Experience managing and participating in litigation, whether IP or other, is preferable

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a background check. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other category or class protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation at: [email protected]

This position may include access to certain technology and/or software source code subject to U.S. export controls laws and regulations. If an export authorization from an applicable US regulatory agency is required in connection with your employment, your employment is contingent upon Supernal’s receipt of such regulatory authorization(s) and your continued compliance with all conditions and limitations pursuant to such authorization(s).