Principal Counsel

Job-ID: 26004810Category: LegalLocation: Chiswick, London, United KingdomSchedule: Full time, DayPosted: 2026-10-19Job Overview:The Principal Counsel is responsible for interpreting internal or external business issues and recommending best practices. They will be tasked with solving complex Counsel-related problems and will work independently with minimal guidance. The Principal Counsel may be responsible for leading functional teams or projects and is regarded as a specialist in the field of Counsel. As such, they must have in-depth expertise in Counsel as well as broad knowledge of the Counsel discipline within the Legal function.QualificationsEssential Qualifications and Education:Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Chemistry, or similarAdvanced science degree desirableBar registration; registered to practice law4 to 6 years of law firm experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications and managing global patent portfolios; ability to independently prepare and prosecute patent applicationsThorough understanding of Patent Cooperation Treaty patent laws/regulations and good knowledge of at least some foreign patent laws and practicesSome experience in drafting IP-related contracts along with a desire to expand upon existing experienceExcellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate with business leadersOutstanding analytical skills with a reliable eye for quality and detailAbility to manage priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment with myriad business pressuresAbility to think beyond the rules of patent filings and prosecution and focus on the practicalities and context of business needsAbility to work well within a team, taking direction and providing leadership as needed#LI-LJ1ResponsibilitiesKey Tasks and Responsibilities:Develop and maintain an understanding of the business and technology of the assigned business unit(s), as well as associated patent portfoliosIdentify Intellectual Property (IP) risks to assigned business units and manage them in collaboration with the Senior Director/Chief IP Counsel Negotiate and draft IP-related contracts such as NDAs, technical service agreements, and licensesReview and advise the company on IP-related risks in complex, high-value transactionsLead patent committee meetings for assigned portfoliosEfficient exercise of control over outside counsel to minimize external costsAssist inventors with the writing and submittal of invention disclosuresInstruct inventors on legal requirements for a patentable inventionAdvise inventors on data and other information needed to increase the patentability of inventionsCritically review and evaluate submitted invention disclosuresPerform and evaluate patentability searchesProvide support for freedom-to-operate assessments and IP enforcement mattersMaintain expertise in patent laws/regulations and general knowledge of patent laws in at least some foreign jurisdictionsProsecute patent applications and/or manage outside counsel on the prosecution of patent applicationsAbout the company Our ingenuity fuels daily life. Together, we’ve forged some of the most trusted partnerships across the energy value chain to make what was once just an idea a reality: laying subsea infrastructure thousands of feet below sea level, installing platforms hundreds of miles from shore, using our expertise to design and build offshore wind infrastructure, and reshaping the onshore landscape to deliver the energy products the world needs safely and sustainably. For more than 100 years, we've been making the impossible possible. Today, we're driving the energy transition with more than 30,000 of the brightest minds across 54 countries.