Balenciaga Intellectual Property Legal Manager
- Location
- ParisÎle-de-FranceFrance
- Seniority
- Manager
- Department
- Legal & Compliance
- Industry
- Fashion, Apparel & Leather Goods
- Posted
- May 19, 2026
About Balenciaga
Balenciaga is a leading haute couture and ready‑to‑wear Maison known for avant‑garde design and cultural influence. As part of the Kering group, the brand combines a strong creative heritage with global commercial reach and a strategic emphasis on digital innovation, sustainability and responsible luxury.
Balenciaga in Paris seeks an Intellectual Property Legal Manager to lead global IP protection and anti‑counterfeiting efforts.
Role & Responsibilities
- Manage and oversee the global portfolio of trademarks, designs & models and domain names; define and implement international protection strategies.
- Coordinate and supervise external counsel (law firms, IP advisors) and manage associated budgets to optimise costs.
- Design and lead a global anti‑counterfeiting strategy, including online/offline monitoring, seizures, raids with customs and coordination of civil, criminal and administrative actions.
- Advise internal stakeholders (creative studio, product, marketing, collaborations) on clearance searches, rights authorisations and commercial exploitation of IP assets.
- Draft, negotiate and manage IP‑related agreements (licenses, assignments, partnerships, editions, exhibition agreements) supporting product launches and collaborations.
- Anticipate and define pre‑litigation and litigation strategies; supervise disputes in close collaboration with external counsel and senior management.
- Monitor developments in IP law and new technologies and provide internal training to foster a culture of IP protection across the Maison.
Qualifications
- 7–8+ years of professional experience in intellectual property acquired in a law firm or in‑house legal department of an international group.
- Proven expertise in trademarks, designs, domain name disputes, anti‑counterfeiting actions and IP enforcement procedures.
- Excellent written and spoken English (explicit requirement).
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills for commercial and IP agreements.
- High level of rigour, responsiveness, flexibility, creativity and ability to provide pragmatic solutions; excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Skills
Experience
Minimum 7–8 years of focused IP experience in a law firm or within an international corporate legal department, with demonstrated management of global portfolios and enforcement actions.
Education
Degree in law with specialization in Intellectual Property (Master's-level qualification or equivalent); bar admission or equivalent professional qualification is advantageous.
Workplace
The successful candidate will be located in Paris, Île-de-France, France.
Culture
Balenciaga promotes a high‑performance, creative work environment within the Kering group, encouraging professional development and cross‑disciplinary collaboration. The Maison emphasises inclusion, diversity and the cultivation of talent to support innovation and excellence.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Balenciaga, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «IP Counsel — Luxury Fashion», «Head of Intellectual Property Protection», «IP and Anti‑Counterfeiting Manager», «Senior Intellectual Property Counsel», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.