Overview:

Microsoft is looking for a skilled attorney with a passion for technology to join the Corporate External and Legal Affairs (CELA) Cloud + AI legal team to serve as a trusted advisor for the Azure engineering group in the role of Senior Corporate Counsel. The candidate filling this role will take on a broad and varied portfolio of legal work critical to supporting some of Microsoft’s most strategically important products and services.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we are dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company. Our Culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. Join us and help shape the future of the world.

Responsibilities:

Legal Advice and Counsel

• Drive deep engagement as “front-line” legal counsel with engineering clients to understand technical engineering concepts and strategy;
• Provide high-quality, pragmatic legal and business advice regarding a wide range of issues, including product development, security, privacy/data protection, trade, compliance, and intellectual property, often in collaboration with legal department colleagues and policy specialists;
• Draft and negotiate complex technology collaboration and licensing agreements
• Provide thought leadership and counseling on emerging issues, help create and execute on plans to achieve both short-term and long-term results, and communicate with key legal and business stakeholders;
• Analyze and work to solve complex and cutting-edge issues;
• Work effectively with colleagues across CELA and business clients on projects and initiatives

Operational Excellence

• Develop and implement processes, templates, track projects and share knowledge across the wider Microsoft legal community.
• Provide input and continuous feedback to improve process efficiencies within role; identify opportunities and tools to increase operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Manage project work expenses according to budget and proposes efficiencies.

Communication

• Collaborate effectively within CELA and stakeholders across engineering, business development, finance, and sales functions.
• Organize issues and ideas clearly in written and verbal communication and demonstrate effectiveness across diverse technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Embody our Culture and Values

Qualifications:

Required minimum qualifications

• Juris Doctor Degree or international equivalent degree AND 6+ years’ 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

• 6+ years experience as an attorney advising on technology-related legal issues.
• 6+ years experience counseling engineering teams building products and services for sale to corporations or enterprises.
• 6+ years experience with negotiation of complex technology collaboration / licensing agreements.
• Effective communication with legal and business executives.
• Ability to simplify complex issues, in particular complex technical topics.
• The ability to manage multiple complex and varying mission-critical projects at once.

#CELA

Legal Counsel IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $147,000 - $258,000 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 $185,900 - $278,900 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.