Helix Product & Intellectual Property Counsel

Basic Information:
Job Name - Legal Counsel I
· Location - Houston, Texas (hybrid). Travel up to 10%.

We are BMC Helix, an AI‑native engine that empowers autonomous agents to drive real outcomes with speed, accountability, and precision. The Legal team is a strategic, business‑driven partner at the heart of a fast‑growing SaaS organization. The Product & Intellectual Property Counsel is a senior in‑house legal role responsible for leading the BMC Helix’s patent and trademark strategy, advising product teams, and serving as a key legal partner across R & D, Product, Marketing, Procurement, and Compliance functions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Participate in Patent Review Committee and oversee evaluation of invention disclosures.
• Manage the full patent lifecycle, including invention intake, drafting coordination, prosecution strategy, office action responses, continuations, and post‑grant strategy.
• Review and approve patent applications prior to filing and ensure claim scope aligns with business objectives.
• Administer inventor recognition program and oversee inventor communications and training.

• Own and manage the global trademark portfolio, including filings, renewals, enforcement, and clearance.
• Advise marketing and business teams on trademark usage, attribution, and brand protection.
• Support domain name strategy and disputes, and handle copyright registrations and clearance matters as needed.

• Serve as legal advisor to Product and Marketing teams on product launches, press releases, advertising, competitive positioning, and product claims.
• Review and approve marketing materials for legal compliance, substantiation, and IP risk.
• Advise on anti‑competitive, advertising, and unfair competition considerations.

• Advise on open source software usage, license compliance, and contribution of company code to open source projects.
• Serve on open source review and AI governance bodies, assessing licensing, legal, and commercial risks.
• Draft, maintain, and support training on AI use, open source, confidentiality, and copyright policies.

• Support procurement and sourcing teams on technology‑related agreements, licensing terms, and IP risk.
• Review and negotiate agreements involving software, technology, and data.
• Advise on IP ownership, licensing, and risk allocation in vendor and partner contracts.

• Advise on export control compliance for software, technology, and data.
• Support classification, licensing determinations, and risk assessments for global product distribution.
• Partner with compliance and security teams on export‑related governance and training.

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school; active U.S. state bar membership and USPTO patent attorney registration.
• 5+ years of experience in intellectual property law, product counseling, and technology transactions.
• Experience working cross‑functionally with engineering, product, marketing, procurement, and compliance teams.
• Strong understanding of patent, trademark, copyright, open source licensing, and export compliance.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical legal guidance.
• Prior in‑house experience at a technology or software company.
• Familiarity with AI governance.
• Strong judgment, executive presence, and ability to operate autonomously.

We’re not hiring for roles—we’re hiring for impact. At Helix, you’ll solve hard problems, build smart solutions, and work with people who challenge and champion you. You’ll see your ideas come to life—and your work make a difference. We believe in trust, transparency, and grit. Our culture is inclusive, flexible, and built for people who want to stretch themselves—and support others doing the same.

Whether you’re remote or in‑office, you’ll find space to show up fully and contribute meaningfully. You won’t be boxed in—you’ll be backed up.

Helix is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, age, sex, creed, color, religion, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, national origin, disability, marital status, pregnancy, disabled veteran or status as a protected veteran. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, visit the accommodation request page.

BMC Software maintains a strict policy of not requesting any form of payment in exchange for employment opportunities, upholding a fair and ethical hiring process.

The annual base salary range for this position is $99,600 – $166,000, though actual offers will vary based on qualifications, experience, certifications, and business needs.