Lead Counsel (Sr. Director), Trademark and Copyright

7-Eleven is an iconic family of brands with over 86,000 locations, surpassing every retailer in the world. We revolutionize convenience, restaurants and fuel through cutting edge innovation — working hard to be the customer's first choice. 7-Eleven empowers our employees to "activate awesome" and make a meaningful impact in their stores and communities every day. If you're ready to grow, lead and make a difference, come join our team and help shape the future of convenience.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Lead Counsel for Trademark and Copyright to join our Legal team at the Senior Director level. This role serves as a trusted legal advisor to senior business leaders and plays a critical part in protecting and advancing the Company's valuable trademarks and copyrights. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in global trademark law, a collaborative mindset, and a proven ability to drive process improvement and innovation in a fast-paced, Fortune 50-level corporate environment.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

The Lead Counsel will manage a broad and dynamic portfolio spanning trademark, domain name, copyright, and marketing/advertising law. Specific areas of responsibility include:
 

Trademark Portfolio Management:

• Lead global trademark strategy and serve as primary subject matter expert for all trademark matters across the enterprise.
• Search, clear, apply for, register, renew, and maintain a portfolio of approximately 2,500 marks on a worldwide basis.
• Monitor the trademark landscape through watch services; send and respond to cease and desist letters; file oppositions and inter partes proceedings; and initiate and manage litigation to protect the Company's brands globally.
• Manage a global network of outside trademark counsel, including annual budgeting, matter oversight, and performance management.
• Lead and develop a small internal team of employees and contractors supporting the trademark function.
• Conduct trademark due diligence in connection with mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.
   

Domain Name Portfolio Management:

• File, register, and renew more than 1,000 domain names on a worldwide basis.
• Pursue enforcement actions including UDRPs and other dispute resolution proceedings as needed to protect the Company's online brand presence.
• Copyright:
• Oversee the filing, registration, and enforcement of copyrights on a worldwide basis.
• Advise internal stakeholders on copyright ownership, fair use, licensing, and infringement issues.
   

Marketing & Advertising Compliance

• Review advertising and promotional materials for compliance with truth-in-advertising standards, COPPA, alcohol and tobacco regulations, and applicable third-party agreements.
• Review and advise on sweepstakes and contest rules, giveaways, BOGOs, etc.
• Review agency agreements, NIL agreements, and other promotional agreements.
• Draft and negotiate trademark license agreements — both inbound and outbound — on a worldwide basis.
   

Strategic Advisory & Innovation:

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to senior business leaders, providing timely, practical, and business-oriented counsel on intellectual property matters.
• Drive process improvement and innovation within the Legal function, identifying opportunities to leverage technology, outside resources, and best practices to improve efficiency and value.
• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Finance, and other departments to align IP strategy with business objectives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate
• 8 Years of Experience
• Demonstrated expertise in global trademark prosecution, portfolio management, and enforcement.
• Experience managing large trademark portfolios (1,000+ marks) across multiple international jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with domain name registration, portfolio management, and UDRP proceedings.
• Experience reviewing marketing and advertising content for legal compliance, including sweepstakes, promotions, and consumer-facing campaigns.
• Proven ability to manage outside counsel relationships and associated budgets.
• Experience supervising and mentoring legal staff and/or contractors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex legal issues for non-legal business audiences.
• Strong business acumen and judgment; ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.

If an hourly or salary range is included in this ad it represents the range 7-Eleven in good faith believes is the range of compensation for this role at the time of this posting. The Company may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range is only applicable for jobs to be performed in this state. This range may be modified in the future. No amount is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable under the terms and conditions of the applicable policies and plans. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, long-term incentive compensation, 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.

For a general description of all benefits 7-Eleven is offering in the US for the position, please visit this link.

For a general description of all benefits 7-Eleven is offering in Canada for the position, please visit this link.