Legal & IP Counsel

The role

You will build and manage the legal function across intellectual property, commercial contracts, and corporate law. You will work directly with the CEO and COO to protect IP, structure defense agreements, and ensure regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

What you will do

• Own IP strategy and portfolio including patents, trade secrets, and software copyrights
• Lead patent filing processes with external attorneys
• Define and enforce internal IP protection policies
• Conduct IP due diligence on partnerships and acquisitions
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements and defense procurement contracts
• Own the contract management lifecycle and template creation
• Support multi-entity corporate architecture and governance
• Manage regulatory compliance for GDPR and defense regulations
• Support export control compliance
• Assist in fundraising processes and investor documentation

Required qualifications

• 3 years of experience in law combining in-house counsel experience and/or private practice in a top-tier firm
• Strong background in at least two of: intellectual property law, commercial contracts, corporate law
• French fluency is mandatory
• English fluency is mandatory
• Rigorous and detail-oriented
• Pragmatic and business-minded
• Fast and responsive
• Proactive
• Discreet and trustworthy
• Comfortable operating as a generalist in a lean environment

Nice to have

• Exposure to technology, deeptech, defence, aerospace, or dual-use sectors
• Experience working with or within a startup or scale-up
• Prior exposure to multi-jurisdictional legal environments (France + UK or US)
• Familiarity with French corporate law (SAS governance, BSPCE, equity documentation)

About the company

Alta Ares is an air defense Neoprime that builds AI-guided interceptors and software platforms. Founded in 2024, the company has 90 people and serves NATO-aligned militaries and defense institutions.