General Counsel (HYBRID)

Who We Are

MUNCHKIN, Inc. rapid pace of innovation demands a General Counsel that is always looking forward and on the offense. Munchkin has over 300 patents and is a fast-growing consumer products company. After over 30 years of being one of the most loved baby lifestyle brands in the world, we are growing up, leveraging our strengths, and launching a new brand, CURIO, a highly curated line of home products inspired by curiosity.

Founded in 1990, Munchkin has sold billions of dollars of products through our key retail partners: Target, Walmart and Amazon and has global distribution in over 45 countries. Munchkin is competitive and likes to win! Our design has consistently been recognized as world class, including 140 international Product and Brand Design awards in the past 5 years, including two recent Red Dot Awards.

What You'll Do

• Manage general corporate matters for the Company and provide legal counsel, risk assessment, and litigation resolution, including corporate governance, IP law (patents and trade secrets) regulatory and compliance (corporate and product), private and public financing, M&A, securities law compliance, contract management, employment law, commercial transactions, and licensing.
• Manage and drive strategy for IP matters involving patents, trade secrets, trademark protection, trademark disputes, online brand protection, patent protection and IP litigation management - from start to finish. Collaborate with and manage outside counsel as needed.
• Drive development and implementation of corporate and product compliance and risk management policies to mitigate legal and financial risks.
• Provide legal guidance and responsible for legal issues involving the company financial and reporting activities, including potential future SEC matters as well as compliance and corporate governance matters.
• Manage Munchkin’s world-class patent portfolio. Oversee preparation and negotiate wide variety of IP-related contracts including but not limited to licensing agreements, IT agreements, master service and/or product agreements and statements of work.
• Oversee the company’s global trademark portfolio, providing trademark evaluations and recommendations, and overseeing the trademark registration process
• Functions as the primary company contact regarding legal matters with customers, suppliers, and business partners, the private equity owners of the company, as well as authorities or representatives of federal, State, or local government agencies including, but not limited to, the CPSC, FTC, and FDA.
• Prepares and reviews various legal instruments and documents, such as contracts, leases, licenses, purchases, sales, and real estate.
• Works closely with product development teams and strategic business unit managers to identify and secure protection of IP embodied in the technology work products. Review and approve packaging for all products.
• Oversee preparations for annual stockholder meetings, including planning and logistics.
• Prepare minutes for board and committee meetings and provide legal support and governance advice on matters relating to board and committee best practices.
• Assesses merits of court cases filed against the Company and recommends settlement of court cases when warranted. Responsible for the cost-effective management of outside counsel to ensure quality and value driven legal advice as well as assist outside counsel in matters of research, litigation, and pre-trial work.
• Prepares budget for Legal Department and manages the administration of the current budget.
• Develops a staff of Patent attorney and Paralegal, and Global Product Compliance Teams. Provides leadership and support to direct reports by motivating, evaluating, and developing them for future growth.

Bring It!

• Minimum 12 years legal experience, with at least 5 years of law firm experience preferred with expertise in intellectual property, corporate, and SEC matters.
• 8+ years of patent and/or trade secret litigation experience from a law firm and/or in-house. Strategic patent thinking, with the ability to look around corners to anticipate business needs at scale.
• Law degree and member in good standing of California State Bar required.
• SPAC or newly IPO-ed public company experience preferred.
• Broad overview experience in litigation, intellectual property, trademarks, securities law, corporate governance, SEC, employment law, contracts and M&A required
• Proven track record of confronting complex legal and compliance matters with significant financial and business impact and managing them to a successful resolution.
• Experience managing attorneys and supervising support staff in a multinational company is required as well as experience with cost effective management of outside legal resources.

We got you covered!

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, vision and dental coverage, wellness, an employer-matched 401(k) plan, bonuses, employee stock purchase plan and much more depending on your role. We regularly hold social functions to foster a genuine camaraderie that enhances teamwork. At our company-wide award functions, we take time to recognize the talent and dedication of the people who make Munchkin the most loved baby lifestyle brand in the world. We offer work-life balance benefits such as paid maternity and paternity leave, Hybrid work from home schedule on Tuesday and Fridays or Half-day Friday’s all year around! To learn more, visit us at www.munchkin.com.

Salary range: $300,000 - $400,000

Munchkin embraces diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

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