The Role
IP Author is looking for a Chief Patent Officer to lead our IP strategy, serve as our public-facing evangelist, and help shape the direction of our product and company. You will be the voice of the practitioner inside the company—ensuring we build tools that patent professionals actually need and love.
This is a highly strategic and outward-facing role, ideal for a senior patent professional who wants to move into a product-led, technology-driven environment while still staying close to the practice.
What you’ll do
Strategy & Vision
- Define and continuously refine our product vision and roadmap from a patent practitioner’s perspective.
- Translate real-world patent workflows (in-house, outside counsel, and law firm) into strategic product bets.
- Advise the executive team on market trends, regulatory and jurisdictional changes, and competitive landscape in IP.
Evangelism & Thought Leadership
- Act as the public face of IP Author to the IP community: conferences, webinars, panels, and content.
- Build and nurture a community of early adopters (patent counsels, firms, and agents).
- Publish thought leadership on the future of patent practice, automation, and knowledge work.
Customer & Product Partner
- Join key customer and prospect meetings as a trusted expert and advisor.
- Work closely with Product & Engineering to validate new features and ensure they fit real-world workflows.
- Lead and shape our Customer Advisory Board, beta programs, and practitioner feedback loops.
Internal Leadership
- Build and lead a small team of patent professionals (in-house or external) as we grow.
- Mentor cross-functional teams on IP best practices and terminology.
- Help shape our culture around rigor, ethics, and long-term value creation in IP.
What you’ve done
- 10–20+ years in patent practice, including substantial experience in:
- In-house patent leadership at a technology company, and/or
- Partner or senior counsel at an IP-focused law firm.
- Deep understanding of patent drafting, prosecution, portfolio strategy, and IP operations.
- Registered to practice before the USPTO (or equivalent jurisdiction) strongly preferred.
- Prior exposure to legal tech / IP management tools, or involvement in process/technology transformation.
- Experience speaking at conferences, publishing, or otherwise acting as a visible thought leader in the IP community.
- Bonus: Experience working with or advising startups or product teams.
Who you are
- You care deeply about improving how patent work gets done—faster, better, and more transparent.
- You’re comfortable on stage and on Zoom, and you enjoy educating and evangelizing.
- You can operate both at 30,000 ft (strategy, markets, vision) and at ground level (workflow specifics, exemplar cases).
- You’re collaborative, low-ego, and excited to partner with engineers and product leaders.
- You’re energized by early-stage chaos and the chance to build something from the ground up.
What we offer
- Executive-level compensation, including meaningful equity.
- A central role in defining the product and company strategy.
- Opportunity to shape the next generation of tools for patent professionals globally.
- A mission-driven team that respects both deep domain expertise and product innovation.