Nokia’s portfolio of disputes is broad and varied, ranging from US and international intellectual property and commercial disputes with third parties, customers, suppliers and others, taking place in courts and arbitration proceedings around the world, to complex regulatory and investigative matters.  Significant matters will likely include intellectual property (mostly patent) related disputes, and may also include antitrust, securities, tax, labor and regulatory disputes.  The candidate will primarily focus on US matters but may also be called to assist in matters arising in other parts of the world where Nokia does business or has a pending dispute.

 

The person selected will be expected to play an active role in not just maintaining, but also strengthening Nokia’s dispute resolution function.  This should include a rigorous ‘early case assessment’ process, a hands on approach with outside counsel, close oversight of budgets and spend, maintenance and cultivation of relationships with business and functional leaders across the company, effective use of state of the art litigation management tools and dashboards, creative use of alternative fee arrangements, and more.

 

While Nokia will consider settling disputes when it is in the company’s best interest to do so, our mindset will always be that we are prepared to try cases in court or arbitration and take cases on appeal.  Accordingly, the ideal candidate will have significant experience in running cases through all procedural stages.

 

The person selected should also have an external focus and will be expected to actively participate in relevant associations, organizations, agencies or conferences.

 

The person selected should be able to function in a matrixed organization where hierarchy is minimized.  The successful candidate will be boundary-less and will possess the ability to work collaboratively with numerous stakeholders and to identify those who should be consulted or apprised of significant events or developments.  The candidate must be adept at managing work across many time zones while still maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

JD/Law degree and membership in at least one US state bar (preferably NJ or Texas, where the Nokia offices with other Dispute Resolution team members are located);  Minimum of 7+ years of relevant legal experience gained in a dispute resolution group of a global law firm and/or of a technology company; Experience in trials, court procedure, mediations, and arbitrations; Ability to think strategically and to serve as a trusted business partner with senior business leaders; Can develop relevant and creative solutions to meet current and evolving business needs. Identify, develop and implement effective and cost-efficient strategies to obtain optimal outcomes in each case; Effectively manage outside counsel relationships and control costs and external spend; Implement effective early case assessment procedures; Implement effective case management systems and advanced dashboards for reporting on litigation matters for a wide range of interested stakeholders; Partner effectively with business leaders to obtain maximum results balanced with sensitivity towards business disruption and impairment of key customer and supplier relationships; In collaboration with other functions including Finance, Internal Audit, Ethics & Compliance, Health & Safety and more, responding to government and regulatory agency inquiries, investigations and claims, and interacting with regulators and other government officials in relation thereto; Apply strong social and communication skills, and be able to build a network of trusting relationships with management and employees with various backgrounds and different styles; Work closely with, and be a resource to other members of the L&C team, including professionals with special experience in compliance, regulatory, IP, software, hardware and other product related issues; Be able to develop a good understanding of the technologies, the technological trends and developments within Nokia and their legal implications; Proactively identify and solve the most complex problems and think beyond existing solutions to create sustainable competitive advantage; Provide training to and share knowledge with other members of the L&C team and internal clients; Represent the company in cooperation with Corporate Affairs and other stakeholders in relevant external forums, such as government authorities, on legal, policy and regulatory as well as similar topics. Travel within the US and possibly international is required when appropriate or necessary to attend trials, hearings, depositions, mediations, team meetings, and the like.