---
title: 'Counsel, Patents & IP at Lyft'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/counsel-patents-ip-lyft-seattle-0ybbn1jdn2ar'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-03'
---

# Counsel, Patents & IP at Lyft

- **Company:** Lyft
- **Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-03
- **Apply:** https://app.careerpuck.com/job-board/lyft/job/8908930002?gh_jid=8908930002

## Job description

At Lyft, our purpose is to serve and connect. We aim to achieve this by cultivating a work environment where all team members belong and have the opportunity to thrive.

This position will manage Lyft's patent function — driving the strategy and day-to-day management of our patent portfolio — while also advising on the company's approach to open source, reviewing technical publications before they go external, and serving as a trusted advisor on IP questions across the business. This position will report to the Senior Director, Associate General Counsel, IP. Beyond the legal chops, we're looking for someone who genuinely enjoys building relationships — you'll spend as much time with engineers and researchers as you will with lawyers, so a warm, curious, low-ego style goes a long way here. We value people who can make patent law feel approachable rather than intimidating, who bring a sense of humor to a fast-moving environment, and who are as excited about celebrating an inventor's first disclosure as they are about closing out a tricky filing decision. This is a great opportunity for someone to come in and manage the patent function at Lyft, working on cutting-edge issues spanning Lyft's global expansion, Lyft Urban Solutions' mobility hardware and software business, and supporting the deployment and expansion of autonomous vehicles on Lyft's network.

Responsibilities:

- Own the patent portfolio end to end for the company — invention harvesting, invention disclosure meetings, portfolio mining, and directing patent application preparation and prosecution by outside patent counsel.
- Drive patent strategy and drive filing, continuation, and abandonment decisions based on technical merit, competitive landscape, and cost, and own portfolio health and reporting against product roadmaps.
- Counsel and collaborate with engineering on open source license review and approval for inbound and outbound open source, including license compatibility and compliance risk.
- Review papers, blog posts, conference talks, and other public technical disclosures for IP and confidentiality risk and relevant counseling.
- Provide broad-based strategic and portfolio advice as well as counseling key stakeholders in protecting and defending IP rights worldwide.
- Support IP diligence for partnerships, M&A, and vendor relationships.
- Train and educate product and engineering teams in intellectual property matters, and build tools, policies, and processes that scale with the business.

Experience:

- 5+ years of patent prosecution experience in a relevant area; in-house patent portfolio building/management experience a plus.
- Experience advising on open source license compliance.
- Must be a member of the Patent Bar and have substantial understanding of patent law outside of litigation.
- Must be proactive, self-directed, detail oriented, organized, and have exceptional communication skills.
- Adaptable and positive under shifting priorities, with the flexibility to move between deep legal work and lighter-touch, high-volume counseling on any given day.
- Demonstrate AI fluency and comfort using AI tools in day-to-day work.
- JD required.
- BS or MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent technical field.
- State bar membership.
- Eligible to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office.
- Sense of humor and comfort with shifting priorities.

Benefits:

- Great medical, dental, and vision insurance options with additional programs available when enrolled
- Mental health benefits
- Family building benefits
- Child care and pet benefits
- 401(k) plan with company match to help save for your future
- In addition to 12 observed holidays, salaried team members have discretionary paid time off, hourly team members have 15 days paid time off
- 18 weeks of paid parental leave. Biological, adoptive, and foster parents are all eligible
- Subsidized commuter benefits
- Monthly Lyft credits and complimentary Lyft Pink membership

Lyft is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace that fosters belonging. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

Lyft highly values having employees working in-office to foster a collaborative work environment and company culture. This role will be in-office on a hybrid schedule — Team Members will be expected to work in the office 3 days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Lyft considers working in the office at least 3 days per week to be an essential function of this hybrid role. Your recruiter can share more information about the various in-office perks Lyft offers. Additionally, hybrid roles have the flexibility to work from anywhere for up to 4 weeks per year. #Hybrid

The expected base pay range for this position in the Seattle area is $161,920 - $202,400, not inclusive of potential equity offering, bonus or benefits. Salary ranges are dependent on a variety of factors, including qualifications, experience and geographic location. Your recruiter can share more information about the salary range specific to your working location and other factors during the hiring process.

## About Lyft

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Lyft operates a ride-hailing, bikeshare, and scooter platform that connects drivers and riders, aiming to reduce personal car ownership and make cities more livable.
- **Entity Type**: Public (NASDAQ: LYFT)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2012
- **Founders**: Logan Green and John Zimmer

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Mobility, Transportation, Ride-hailing, Micromobility
- **Target customers**: B2C (riders and drivers), B2B (Lyft Business for enterprise commutes), and public sector (transit partnerships)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "To serve and connect" — building a more connected world, ride by ride.

## Products & Services
- **[Lyft Rideshare]**: The core on-demand ride-hailing service connecting passengers with drivers. Type: Platform / Service.
- **[Lyft Pink]**: A subscription membership offering perks like discounted rides, priority airport pickups, and free bike/scooter unlocks. Type: Subscription.
- **[Lyft Business]**: A suite of tools for companies to manage employee commutes, client rides, and delivery logistics. Type: B2B SaaS / Service.
- **[Lyft Bikes & Scooters]**: Shared electric bikes and scooters available in select cities, including the Bixi network in Montreal. Type: Micromobility Service.
- **[Lyft Flexdrive]**: A car rental program for drivers who don't own a vehicle, enabling them to earn on the platform. Type: Service / Fleet Management.
- **[Lyft Ads]**: In-app advertising platform allowing brands to reach riders and drivers. Type: Ad Tech / Marketplace.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Approximately $4.5 billion (as of mid-2025, market cap fluctuates). **Not publicly available** for private valuation — public company.
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of approximately $4.4 billion (FY 2023), with $1.3 billion in Q1 2025 reported revenue.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Major institutional investors include Fidelity, Vanguard, and BlackRock. Key partners include Uber (in some markets, e.g., transit data sharing), Motivate (bikeshare operator), and various municipal transit agencies.
- **Growth Signals**: Launched Lyft Ads in 2024; expanded into autonomous vehicle partnerships (Waymo, Motional); opened new offices in Toronto (2024) and Mexico City (2022); strong recovery in ride volumes post-pandemic.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Differentiated brand and culture**: Known for a friendlier, more community-oriented brand compared to competitors, with a focus on driver and rider safety.
- **Integrated multimodal platform**: Combines ride-hailing, bikes, scooters, and public transit info in one app, making it a one-stop mobility solution.
- **Strong transit partnerships**: Deep integrations with city transit agencies (e.g., Montreal's Bixi, LA Metro) provide a unique public-sector moat.
- **Data & network effects**: Large dataset on urban mobility patterns enables better routing, pricing, and demand prediction.

## Strategic Focus
- **Autonomous vehicle (AV) readiness**: Building partnerships and infrastructure to integrate AVs into the platform, positioning for a future without human drivers.
- **Advertising revenue**: Scaling Lyft Ads to create a new high-margin revenue stream, leveraging its large user base.
- **International expansion**: Selectively entering new markets (e.g., Canada, Mexico) and deepening presence in existing ones via bikeshare and transit.
- **Profitability**: Continued focus on operational efficiency and cost discipline to achieve sustained GAAP profitability.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Lyft emphasizes a welcoming, inclusive culture with core values like "Be yourself," "Make it happen," and "Uplift others." The company fosters a strong sense of belonging through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and community events.
- **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: Hybrid model — employees are expected in the office a few days a week, with flexibility. Offices are designed with tech-equipped workspaces, stocked kitchens, and themed rooms.
- **Notable Perks**:
    - **Health & Well-being**: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision; free One Medical membership; free access to therapists via Modern Health.
    - **Time Off**: Unlimited paid vacation for salaried US employees; generous PTO for hourly employees.
    - **Parental Leave**: 18 weeks of paid leave for all new parents (biological, adoptive, foster).
    - **Financial**: 401(k) plan with financial training sessions.
    - **Commute**: Free Lyft Pink membership; pre-tax commuter benefits.
    - **Learning**: Udemy subscription for professional development; mentorship programs for interns and new grads.
    - **Office Environment**: Dog-friendly offices; regular team offsites and social events.
- **Engineering Culture**: Known for high-impact work on large-scale distributed systems, machine learning, and mobile engineering. Early-career talent is highly valued, with structured mentorship and real project ownership.

## Sources
1. [Lyft Careers](https://www.lyft.com/careers)
2. [Lyft Life at Lyft](https://www.lyft.com/careers/life-at-lyft)
3. [Lyft Early Talent Programs](https://www.lyft.com/careers/early-talent)
4. [Lyft Homepage](https://www.lyft.com/)
5. [LinkedIn Lyft](https://www.linkedin.com/company/lyft)

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