Hermès Intellectual Property and Contracts Counsel

About Hermès

Hermès is an internationally renowned French luxury maison known for its craftsmanship across leather goods, ready-to-wear, watches, fragrance, and home collections. As part of Hermès International, the legal team supports a portfolio of maisons and global operations with a focus on protecting creativity, artisanal processes and long-term brand value.

Role & Responsibilities

• Advise Hermès maisons (including Parfums & Beauté, La Montre Hermès, Hermès Maison, Saint‑Louis, Puiforcat, John Lobb) across the full product lifecycle — from concept and R&D to manufacturing and market distribution.
• Validate and secure creative and innovation projects: availability analyses, competitive watch, risk assessment and freedom‑to‑operate searches.
• Conduct and analyse trademark, design and patent searches and support prosecution and registration procedures domestically and internationally.
• Define and implement strategies to protect creations (trademarks, designs, patents) in coordination with portfolio management.
• Manage IP enforcement and defence: oppositions, annulment and revocation actions, pre‑litigation and litigation follow‑up.
• Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements: creator/partner mandates, IP assignments, R&D agreements, confidentiality agreements, supply, manufacturing and subcontracting contracts, logistics and IT service contracts.
• Ensure regulatory and compliance review of operational projects (product launches, packaging, labelling) in France and abroad.
• Legally pilot multi‑channel distribution networks: drafting and negotiating distribution agreements, general terms and conditions and selective distribution protection measures.
• Coordinate cross‑functional interactions with internal stakeholders and external counsel; contribute proactively to knowledge sharing and process improvements within the legal pole.

Qualifications

• Advanced legal degree in Business/Commercial Law (Master’s level or equivalent).
• 3 to 5 years' professional experience in an in‑house legal department of an international group, with demonstrable expertise in intellectual property law.
• Solid and proven knowledge of contract law and commercial drafting (supply, manufacturing, distribution, R&D).
• Fluent in French and English, both written and spoken; strong negotiation skills in both languages.
• Sensitivity to product design and industrial/creative environments and the ability to translate operational needs into pragmatic legal solutions.

Skills

Experience

3–5 years in an in‑house legal team of an international group with a primary focus on intellectual property and commercial contracts; experience working with creative/product teams and industrial supply chains.

Education

Advanced degree in law (Master's/LL.M. or equivalent) with a specialization in Business/Commercial Law.

Workplace

Culture

Hermès cultivates a workplace rooted in artisanal excellence, creative autonomy and long‑term stewardship of brands and products. The legal teams operate collaboratively across métiers and geographies, balancing rigorous legal standards with pragmatic, solution‑oriented support for creative and operational stakeholders.

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.