Overview:

As a Corporate Counsel in our Honors Program, you’ll launch your legal career through a highly structured, multi‑year rotational experience designed to accelerate your growth and prepare you to become a future‑ready legal leader in the AI era.

You’ll gain hands‑on experience across the organization, working on real, high‑impact legal matters that sit at the intersection of law, technology, and business. From day one, you’ll be embedded in teams that are shaping the future while actively using AI tools and modern legal practices as part of your everyday work, not as an afterthought.

The program is designed to help you discover your strengths, build legal skills, and gain confidence through mentorship and growing responsibility.

After completing the program, you’ll have the opportunity to move into a full‑time role that matches both business needs and your interests, setting you up for a successful legal career.

Responsibilities:

Communication:

• Collaborates effectively within Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) work group and direct business clients. Organizes issues and ideas in written and verbal communication.

Legal Advice and Counsel:

• Acts as the primary legal contact (generalist or subject matter expert) for assigned clients, executes legal matters with moderate oversight, and provides support (e.g., revises templates, answers client questions about legal process) to higher-level attorneys, with some oversight.

• Serves as a contributor to clients and colleagues about legal and related business matters (e.g., privacy, intellectual property, compliance & ethics, litigation, corporate governance, M&A, etc.).

Identifies and anticipates legal risks in the client's business, technology, and/or public policy, and proposes solutions to mitigate future risk.

Interacts and/or directs outside counsel or other service providers to address and resolve project-specific issues.

• Structures, drafts, and negotiates transactional documents (e.g., standard agreements with third parties). Conducts, reviews, interprets, and analyzes legal information.

• Maintains understanding of legal requirements within own primary legal practice area.

• Advises and helps clients understand legal compliance requirements, identify risks and offers solutions. Identifies and engages appropriate stakeholders in Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) and business to escalate issues.

Operational Excellence

• Provides input and continuous feedback to improve process efficiencies within role. Identifies opportunities and tools to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness.

• Manages project work expenses according to budget and proposes efficiencies.

• Models compliance and maintains confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, privacy, and the security of data.

Qualifications:

Required/minimum qualifications

• Juris Doctor Degree or international equivalent degree AND 1+ year(s) experience as a practicing attorney OR equivalent experience.
• Active license to practice law in a jurisdiction and capable of meeting admission requirements in relevant jurisdiction.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Juris Doctor Degree or international equivalent degree AND 2+ years experience as a practicing attorney

• OR equivalent experience.

• 1+ year(s) experience as an attorney in specialized practice area (e.g., tax, employment, copyright).

Legal Counsel IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $105,800 - $204,000 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $136,200 - $223,300 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.