Staff Counsel, Trademarks and Brand Protection

Walgreens · Deerfield, Illinois

Job Summary:
The Staff Attorney – Trademark & Brand Protection will support Walgreens’ efforts to protect and strengthen its brand portfolio across retail, digital, and private label channels. This role will assist in managing Walgreens’ trademarks, supporting clearance and prosecution activities, and providing day-to-day legal guidance to marketing and business teams.

This position is ideal for an early-career attorney seeking to build expertise in trademark law within a dynamic, consumer-facing environment, while working closely with experienced in-house counsel and outside advisors.

Why This Role Matters at Walgreens
Walgreens’ brands are critical to its success across retail and pharmacy services. This role provides foundational legal support to ensure that:

Brand assets are protected and properly used
Business teams receive practical, timely legal guidance
Trademark matters are handled efficiently and with strong oversight

Key Responsibilities
1. Trademark Portfolio Support

Assist in management of Walgreens’ domestic and international trademark portfolio, including filings, maintenance, and renewals.
Conduct preliminary trademark clearance searches and support preparation of risk assessments.
Coordinate with outside counsel on trademark prosecution and administrative matters.
Maintain and update trademark records and internal tracking systems.

2. Brand Protection & Enforcement

Support monitoring efforts to identify potential trademark infringement, counterfeiting, and unauthorized brand use.
Assist with drafting cease-and-desist letters and enforcement-related correspondence.
Help coordinate enforcement actions with internal stakeholders and outside counsel.
Monitor online platforms and marketplaces for brand misuse.

3. Marketing & Brand Advisory Support

Provide support in reviewing proposed brand names, slogans, packaging and marketing materials.
Partner with supervising attorneys to deliver timely, practical guidance to marketing, merchandising, and digital teams.
Assist in advising on trademark usage and brand compliance guidelines and associated internal trainings.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work cross-functionally with:
- Marketing and brand teams
- Digital/eCommerce teams
- Merchandising and private label teams
Participate in internal meetings to support brand-related initiatives and product launches.

6. Outside Counsel Coordination

Assist in managing outside counsel for trademark matters, including tracking matters, invoices, and deadlines.
Support efforts to ensure cost-effective and timely service delivery.

Job Responsibilities:

Builds professional experience and learns the practical aspects of applied law, as well as learning the functions of the business.
May review legal documents and identify legal and business issues for more senior law professionals.
Assists on cases, undertakes research, reviews standard documents and routine contracts, and prepares routine filings.
Position typically reports to the managing attorney.
Recognizes the limitations of own knowledge and seeks guidance from more senior law professionals as necessary.

About Walgreens
Founded in 1901, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) proudly serves nearly 9 million customers and patients each day across its approximately 8,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Walgreens has approximately 220,000 team members, including nearly 90,000 healthcare service providers, and is committed to being the first choice for pharmacy, retail and health services, building trusted relationships that create healthier futures for customers, patients, team members and communities.

Basic Qualifications

Recent admission to the bar and or otherwise lawfully permitted to practice law pursuant to State law or Illinois Supreme Court rules.

Preferred Qualifications

Exposure to intellectual property, trademark or advertising law
Law firm, clerkship, or in-house experience considered
Exposure to trademark searching tools and docketing systems
Interest in retail, pharmacy, and consumer brands
Familiarity with social media and digital marketing environments
Internship or coursework focused on intellectual property

Key Competencies

Foundational Trademark Knowledge: Basic understanding of trademark law, clearance, and prosecution processes
Learning Agility: Strong interest in developing expertise in trademark and brand protection
Attention to Detail: Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines with accuracy
Communication Skills: Clear, concise written and verbal communication
Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and senior attorneys
Judgment: Willingness to seek guidance while developing independent decision-making skills

We will consider employment of qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Salary Range: $102800 - $164400 / Salaried

Legal pay context

Based on 804 disclosed Legal salaries on RoleSuite, the role pays a median of $167K/year, with most offers between $118K and $220K (10th–90th percentile: $89K–$260K).

This posting lists $103K–$164K, below the $167K market median.

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Staff Counsel, Trademarks and Brand Protection

Legal pay context

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