Trademark Legal Counsel

Texas, United States of America

Job Family Group:
Legal Jobs

Worker Type:
Regular

Posting Start Date:
June 30, 2026

Business Unit:
Legal

Experience Level:
Experienced Professionals

Job Description:

What's the role

Shell is seeking a Trademark Legal Counsel (also known internally as Legal Counsel) to join its team in Houston, TX.

Shell's trademarks play a critical role in protecting the company's brand, reputation, and heritage. The Trademark Licensing & Portfolio team within Legal Services provides specialist legal advice on trademark portfolio management, licensing, and brand protection.

The Trademark Legal Counsel will support the management and protection of Shell's global trademark portfolio, including licensing activities and anti-counterfeiting efforts. This role requires providing commercially focused, outcome-driven, cost effective, and risk-based legal advice to businesses.

Accountabilities:

• Provide strategic, timely, practical, and commercially focused trademark advice in relation to portfolio management, licensing, and brand protection
  
  • Support the management and development of Shell's global trademark assets, ensuring alignment with business strategy
  • Advise Shell businesses, on trademark licensing
  • Assist in anti-counterfeiting and enforcement strategies
  • Support strategic, efficient and cost controlled trademark portfolios
• Identify and escalate legal, regulatory, and reputational risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation strategies are in place
• Collaborate with Commercial Legal team and business stakeholders, to deliver integrated legal support
• Monitor developments in trademark law and practice and communicate potential impacts to the business
• Contribute to knowledge sharing and capability building within the team
• Deliver high-quality trademark legal support across portfolio management, licensing, and enforcement matters
• Manage interactions with external trademark counsel for assigned matters, ensuring alignment with Shell standards, including effective use of external resources
• Ensure accurate and reliable trademark data and reporting, in coordination with portfolio management processes
• Draft and reviewing trademark-related agreements and documentation in line with legal and commercial requirements
• Support governance processes for trademark disputes and portfolio decisions
• Keep relevant stakeholders informed of key risks and developments
• Ensure that Shell's global trademark portfolio and licensing risks are identified and documents are appropriately drafted to reflect commercial decisions, consistent with professional standards, legal obligations, the Shell Code of Conduct, Shell General Business Principles, including the Shell Control Framework and IP Standard

What you bring

• Must have legal authorization to work in the US on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer
• Law degree and licensed to practice law in Texas
• At least 10 years of experience in trademark law, including trademark portfolio management, licensing, brand protection and trademark litigation
• Experience drafting and negotiating licenses, working with or managing external counsel, and service providers, and trademark litigation
• Demonstrated commercial acumen and risk-based decision-making
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including ability to work across cultures and geographies
• Ability to handle complex trademark matters with appropriate supervision and escalate where required
• High level of integrity and commitment to ethical and compliant behavior, aligned with Shell values
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under pressure
• Strong ability in innovating and deploying technology and embracing and adapting through change

What we offer

The base salary range for this position is $178,000 - $266,000 per year. Individual pay will be based on various factors, such as relevant work experience, education, certifications, skill level, seniority, and internal equity.

For regular full-time or regular part-time employees of the Company (participating companies as listed in the Summary Plan Description), insurance coverage options include medical, dental, vision coverage, life Insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs. Employees also participate in a company pension plan and a 401(k) plan. Paid leave includes up to 6 weeks of paid vacation time, up to 11 paid holidays, and parental leave offering 16 weeks of paid leave for birthing parents, and 8 weeks of paid leave for non-birthing parents.

Additionally, employees are eligible for short-term disability leave for up to 26 weeks at 100% or 50% of base pay as well as Long-Term Disability insurance. Shell also offers other compensation such financial reimbursement for adoption, wellness, education, and personal learning expenses, and some roles are eligible for discretionary long-term incentives. For interns, eligible benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, Business Travel Accident Insurance, and Occupational Accidental Death Benefit programs; participation in a 401(k) plan; and paid leave for up to 11 paid holidays. Additional information on Shell's US benefit programs can be found at https://www.shell.us/careers/about-careers-at-shell/rewards-and-benefits.html.

You bring your skills and experience to Shell and in return you work with talented, committed people on one of the most important challenges facing our planet. You'll have the opportunity to develop the skills you need to grow in an environment where we value honesty, integrity, and respect for one another. You'll be able to balance your priorities as you become the best version of yourself.

• Progress as a person as we work on the energy transition together
• Continuously grow the transferable skills you need to get ahead
• Work at the forefront of technology, trends, and practices
• Collaborate with experienced colleagues with unique expertise
• Achieve your balance in a values-led culture that encourages you to be the best version of yourself
• Benefit from flexible working hours, and the possibility of remote/mobile working
• Perform at your best with a competitive starting salary and annual performance related salary increase - our pay and benefits packages are considered to be among the best in the world.
• Take advantage of paid parental leave, including for non-birthing parents
• Join an organization working to become one of the most diverse and inclusive in the world. We strongly encourage applicants of all genders, ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, sexual orientation, and life experiences to apply
• Grow as you progress through diverse career opportunities in national and international teams
• Gain access to a wide range of training and development programs

We'd like you to know that Shell has a bold goal: to become one of the world's most diverse and inclusive companies. You can get to know more about how we're working towards that goal, click here.

Shell in The United States

Shell has been in the US for more than 100 years, leading the sector in energy, petrochemicals and refined products. Today, we provide millions of Americans with the energy needed to heat and cool their homes and power the economy.

We operate in all 50 states, from our Deepwater platforms in the Gulf of America to the Pennsylvania Chemicals complex and our miles of pipelines throughout the US.

We reach our customers through our 13,000 branded retail stations, and we are number 1 in gasoline sales. We also own the #1 brand of motor oil in the U.S. - Pennzoil® - made from natural gas.

We are excited to play a key role in the move to net carbon emissions while providing the oil and gas needed by society for many decades to come.

DISCLAIMER:
Please note: We occasionally amend or withdraw Shell jobs and reserve the right to do so at any time, including prior to the advertised closing date. Before applying, you are advised to read our data protection policy. This policy describes the processing that may be associated with your personal data and informs you that your personal data may be transferred to Shell/Shell Group companies around the world. The Shell Group and its approved recruitment consultants will never ask you for a fee to process or consider your application for a career with Shell. Anyone who demands such a fee is not an authorised Shell representative and you are strongly advised to refuse any such demand. Shell participates in E-Verify. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws. Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disability. As a US Federal Contractor, hiring selections are subject to periodic audit review and documentation of your selections should be maintained for a period of three calendar years. It is the policy of Shell in the U.S. ("Shell") to provide equal opportunity to all individuals, employees and all qualified applicants for employment consistent with employment requirements and qualifications. Shell prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, citizenship, genetic information, or other protected status under federal, state or local laws. All employees are expected to support this policy and contribute to an environment of equal opportunity. If you need an accommodation for a disability during the resourcing process, please speak with an HR representative.