The Patent Counsel will: prepare, file, and prosecute U.S. and foreign patent applications and manage all stages of the patent lifecycle from invention disclosure through issuance and post-grant activities; assist in identifying, collecting, evaluating, and preparing invention disclosure records and develop strong partnerships with engineering, product, and business teams to cultivate innovation; attend product development meetings and monitor product development efforts while serving as a strategic advisor on patentability, competitive patent risks, and intellectual property opportunities; serve as the primary coordinator and gatekeeper for patent searches, patent filings, portfolio development, continuation strategy, design-around efforts, and competitive blocking strategies; conduct and manage patent clearance investigations, freedom-to-operate analyses, validity assessments, and infringement evaluations in support of product launches and strategic business initiatives; develop prosecution strategies that are responsive to evolving marketplace conditions, competitor activity, enforcement risks, and product roadmaps; monitor competitor patent portfolios, industry developments, and emerging technologies to provide actionable business and intellectual property guidance; assist in managing patent disputes, licensing matters, pre-litigation activities, administrative proceedings, and patent enforcement efforts in the United States and foreign jurisdictions; coordinate with and manage outside counsel, search firms, and foreign associates regarding patent prosecution, clearance analyses, litigation support, enforcement actions, and other intellectual property matters; respond to inquiries and collect information and documents needed by outside counsel to conduct searches, analyses, investigations, and enforcement activities. The Patent Counsel will play a key role in developing, maintaining, and executing Cricut's patent strategy across the full patent lifecycle, including invention harvesting, patent preparation and prosecution, freedom-to-operate analysis, clearance and risk assessment, strategic portfolio development, competitive intelligence, and patent enforcement activities in the United States and internationally.