Legal Counsel Intellectual Property

Role Overview :

The role requires a proactive individual with strong expertise in end-to-end management of domestic and international intellectual property portfolios, with a primary focus on trademarks, brand protection, stakeholder management, and legal advisory . The ideal candidate will have a combination of law firm and in-house experience, strong commercial acumen, an eye for detail, and the ability to partner with business teams to drive legal processes efficiently, enable brand growth, and safeguard the organization's interests.

Key Responsibilities :

1. Portfolio Management & Prosecution

• Manage the prosecution and maintenance of Nykaa's India and international trademark portfolio, including filings, renewals, assignments, oppositions, and related proceedings .
• Coordinate with external counsel across multiple jurisdictions to ensure timely prosecution, strategic advice, and cost-effective management of the global IP portfolio .
• Oversee IP docketing, deadlines, renewals, and portfolio records, ensuring accuracy and timely action .
• Manage billing, budgets, and engagement with external law firms and IP service providers .

2. Business Advisory & Brand Protection

• Advise business teams on trademark clearance, adoption, registrability, and brand protection strategies for new products, sub-brands, and campaigns .
• Partner with marketing, brand, product, sourcing, merchandising, and commercial teams on IP issues relating to product launches, packaging, collaborations, and advertising .
• Provide proactive, commercially pragmatic legal advice for new business initiatives, brand expansion projects, and marketing campaigns .

3. Contracting & Documentation

• Draft, review, and negotiate IP-related agreements including licences, coexistence agreements, assignments, consents, and settlement agreements .
• Continuously enhance drafting standards, with a focus on clarity, commercial detailing, and risk mitigation .
• Maintain organized legal databases and contract repositories for easy retrieval and compliance tracking .

4. Enforcement, Disputes & Knowledge Management

• Support enforcement matters, including cease-and-desist notices, oppositions, cancellation actions, domain name disputes, online brand protection, and anti-counterfeiting initiatives .
• Stay abreast of legal developments, regulatory changes, and judicial pronouncements relevant to intellectual property, e-commerce, and the beauty industry .
• Conduct thorough legal research and analysis to strengthen IP enforcement, negotiations, and advisories .

Knowledge and Qualification Requirements :

• LL.B. / LL.M. from a recognized university .
• 5–7 years of post-qualification experience (PQE) .
• Experience spanning both a leading law firm and an in-house legal team is preferred .
• Demonstrated expertise in trademark prosecution, international portfolio management, docketing, and IP-related agreement drafting/negotiation .
• Prior experience in FMCG, beauty, fashion, retail, luxury, or e-commerce sectors is strongly preferred .
• Appreciation of beauty, fashion, and consumer brands, with an understanding of the pace and commercial realities of these industries .
• Commercially minded, practical, solution-oriented, and business-focused with a problem-solving mindset .
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, drafting, and presentation skills .
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including experience managing multiple jurisdictions, external counsel, budgets, and deadlines .
• Ability to work independently as well as a collaborative team player in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment .
• Curious, adaptable, detail-oriented, enthusiastic, and eager to