Job Description:
LOCATION: This role is also eligible for remote work in Washington, DC and Seattle, WA.
RAKUTEN AMERICAS:
Our 20+ businesses span e-commerce, digital content, communications and data analytics, bringing the joy of discovery to millions of members around the world. We’ve brought together a unique set of internet services that are changing the way retailers and marketers do business. With businesses such as Rakuten Rewards, Rakuten Advertising, and Rakuten Kobo, we can offer marketers the platform and data intelligence to reach consumers at the moment they want to make a purchase. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, our North American businesses provide a customer-centric ecosystem that challenges limits and empowers people, markets and society through innovation. Forbes has recognized Rakuten as one of the world's “Most Innovative Companies” for the past six years.
Our team enjoys all the benefits of the tech industry with a family atmosphere that respects different views and nurtures careers. We have the vision and global opportunities to make amazing things happen. In Japanese, Rakuten means “optimism.” It means we believe in the future. It’s an understanding that, with the right mindset, we can make the future better by what we do today. So we challenge ourselves to evolve, innovate and experiment, to create a better, happier future for everyone.
SUMMARY:
Rakuten’s summer intern program is a 2-month summer experience that will provide you with an opportunity to gain exposure to different areas of law in an in-house environment and gain in-depth knowledge about Rakuten’s business and culture. You will enjoy meeting with organizational leaders during lunch and learns, network with your fellow intern colleagues at various social events, and present your hard work to Rakuten’s executives and management. You will be exposed to our culture and values as we develop your basic understanding and foundation for future growth and responsibility. During the summer you will develop an understanding of what it takes to run a medium size legal organization from inside a corporation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support on intellectual property legal matters with opportunities to work with various other Rakuten business units as well.
- Support patent discovery process, including review of invention descriptions, inventor interviews, and coordinating with external patent counsel.
- Managing intellectual property portfolio: patents, trademarks, copyrights, and domains.
- Performing substantive legal research relating to emerging legal and regulatory issues, with a focus on intellectual property matters.
- Reviewing and evaluating company policies.
- Assisting with special projects and initiatives.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities):
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Excellent academic credentials
- Must be looking to expand your knowledge and use skills you are developing in law school
- Ability to research legal and business issues and learn new concepts quickly
- High degree of professional ethics and integrity
- Must be a critical thinker who is resourceful and can problem-solve
- Self-starter with the ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate (written and verbally) effectively at all levels
- Excellent organizational and analytical skills
- Must be extremely detail-oriented
- Significant experience using Microsoft Office
- Technologically savvy and able to learn new technologies easily
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Currently a full-time law student entering their 3L year fall 2024 pursuing a J.D. degree at an ABA accredited U.S. law school or pursuing an LL.M. in Intellectual Property at an ABA accredited U.S. law school
- Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering or equivalent
- Able to complete a 6-8 week internship beginning in May or June 2024
- Strong interest in intellectual property rights and innovation policy
- Possess strong research and writing skills, preferably with knowledge of legal research and writing
- Involvement in your law school outside of required activities (e.g., moot court, independent research with a professor, clubs, clinics, pro-bono volunteer, etc.)
You can visit rakuten.us, our Muse profile, and intern page to learn more about Rakuten’s culture and values, as well as hear from last year’s interns.
At the time of posting, Rakuten expects the hourly rate for this role will be between $20 - $30 per hour. Individual compensation will vary based on job-related factors, including the skills, qualifications, and experience of the successful candidate as well as business need and geographic location.
#LI-remote
Five Principles for Success
Our worldwide practices describe specific behaviors that make Rakuten unique and united across the world. We expect Rakuten employees to model these 5 Shugi Principles of Success.
Always improve, Always Advance - Only be satisfied with complete success - Kaizen
Passionately Professional - Take an uncompromising approach to your work and be determined to be the best
Hypothesize - Practice - Validate – Shikumika - Use the Rakuten Cycle to succeed in unknown territory
Maximize Customer Satisfaction - The greatest satisfaction for our teams is seeing their customers smile
Speed!! Speed!! Speed!! - Always be conscious of time - take charge, set clear goals, and engage your team
Rakuten provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type. Rakuten considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.
