Baker Hughes is deploying a Chief IP Counsel to its Houston headquarters. In the energy sector, intellectual property is not a defensive measure; it is a weaponized asset. As the company aggressively transitions from traditional oilfield services to a broader energy technology portfolio, you will direct their global intellectual property strategy. You are the ultimate legal authority shielding billions of dollars in R&D spend from competitors and patent assertion entities.
Energy Sector IP & Portfolio Scope
The energy sector is navigating a brutal transformation, where legacy engineering patents constantly clash with new green-tech and software solutions. You are not being hired to file paperwork; you are deployed to monetize, defend, and expand a proprietary portfolio. You will dictate which innovations warrant the multi-million-dollar cost of global patent protection and which infringements require immediate, scorched-earth litigation.
Global Patent & Litigation Mandate
- Global IP Strategy: Direct the development and execution of the worldwide patent and trademark portfolio. You determine which patents carry actual commercial value and ruthlessly discard the dead weight draining the maintenance budget.
- Litigation Management: Oversee outside counsel in complex IP disputes and defensive actions. Big Law firms will bleed your department’s budget dry if left unchecked; you must heavily audit external billing and enforce predictable litigation budgets.
- M&A Due Diligence: Evaluate intellectual property assets and risks during mergers and acquisitions. When corporate acquires a tech startup, you ensure their software is not built on stolen code or encumbered by third-party patents. Missing a hidden liability costs the firm millions.
- R&D Alignment: Partner directly with engineering leaders to identify patentable technologies early in the development cycle.
- Budget Oversight: Manage the global IP department budget, optimizing spend on external legal services.
Legal & Engineering Prerequisites
- Juris Doctor (JD): Active license to practice law in Texas, plus registration with the USPTO. The convergence of a Texas Bar, USPTO registration, and an engineering degree severely restricts the candidate pool, providing you with immense leverage in salary negotiations.
- Executive Experience: Minimum 15 years of progressive IP law experience, with at least 5 years in an executive leadership role.
- Technical Background: Undergraduate degree in Engineering, Physics, or Computer Science is required. A general corporate lawyer will fail here; you must possess the hard science background to cross-examine your own lead engineers on complex thermodynamic and software patents.
- Portfolio Acumen: Proven track record of managing multi-million dollar global patent portfolios and complex litigation.
Executive Compensation & Equity
The base salary is standard for Houston’s energy corridor, but the true wealth generation potential lies in the executive equity structure.
- Base Salary Range: $280,000 – $350,000 USD / Year.
- Executive Equity Grants: Competitive annual RSU allocations tied to corporate performance. At the Chief Counsel tier, the base salary is secondary; your primary focus during the offer stage must be negotiating the initial RSU grant size and mapping the exact acceleration triggers in your vesting schedule.
- Career Growth: Direct pathway to broader executive leadership roles within the global legal department.
- Corporate Benefits: Comprehensive health coverage, executive retirement matching, and competitive PTO.
On-Site Logistics & Relocation
- The Physical Presence Directive
- Location: Houston, TX. Status: Full-Time, 100% On-Site. Legacy energy companies in Houston mandate physical presence for their C-suite. You will operate from the headquarters, face-to-face with the engineering and executive teams, five days a week. Zero remote flexibility.
- Executive Relocation
- Full executive relocation assistance is provided for qualified candidates moving to the Houston metropolitan area.
Green Flags
- Advantage: Uncapped Negotiating Leverage: The strict requirement for a JD, USPTO registration, and an undergraduate engineering degree makes you a unicorn in the legal market. You hold extreme negotiating power to drive up the initial RSU grant and signing bonuses.
- Advantage: Turnkey Executive Relocation: The firm provides a full relocation package, deploying heavy capital to extract you from your current market and install you directly into the Houston energy corridor.
Red Flags
- Warning Sign: Absolute M&A Liability: You are the final backstop in technology acquisitions. Approving a deal with hidden IP encumbrances, stolen code, or weak patent shielding will result in immediate executive fallout.
- Warning Sign: Strict RTO Culture: The legacy energy sector operates on physical presence. You are trading remote flexibility for the executive equity package, requiring a daily commute to the headquarters.
