Overview

Join the legal team supporting Microsoft’s Industry Solutions Engineering (ISE), where breakthrough innovation, advanced engineering, and responsible AI converge to help customers reimagine what’s possible across global industries.

Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) is seeking a Senior Corporate Counsel to support ISE, a strategic engineering organization within Microsoft’s Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) organization. ISE partners closely with customers to co‑develop innovative solutions, incubate new capabilities, and prototype emerging uses of Microsoft’s AI and cloud technologies. Operating at the intersection of product, engineering, and industry expertise, ISE helps inform and influence future offerings through rapid experimentation and co‑creation.

As the Senior Corporate Counsel, ISE, you will serve as a trusted legal advisor to senior engineering and business leaders on high‑impact, innovation‑driven engagements. You will advise on complex contractual structures and risk considerations, including intellectual property ownership and ensure alignment on strategic initiatives. You will partner cross‑functionally with product, engineering, sales, and compliance teams to support go‑to‑market readiness, responsible AI implementation, and evolving global regulatory requirements to enable scalable innovation.

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

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to the ISE team, to address a wide range of legal and regulatory issues and provide proactive, solution-orientated legal guidance aligned with business strategy.
• Oversee and provide counsel on complex technology and commercial transactions involving ownership of intellectual property, including the ability to translate technical concepts into practical legal and commercial guidance.
• Ensure compliant data handling in compliance with local laws and regulations, proactively manage legal risks, and provide strategic advice on a wide range of legal and regulatory issues.
• Support the adoption of AI-driven tools and scalable legal processes to accelerate support for engineering services, automate routine work, and drive operational excellence while enabling business stakeholders to move quickly.
• Creatively solve problems and coordinate across CELA and business team subject matter experts.
• Communicate in a manner that advances negotiations and projects, creates clarity, utilizes insights, and advances closure of open issues.
• Exercise sound judgment when advising stakeholders.

Culture

• Embody our Culture and Values
• Foster inclusive practices and ensure diverse perspectives are heard
• Support colleagues and clients with empathy and respect
• Embrace a global mindset, respecting similarities and differences in others.

Qualifications Required 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 Preferred Qualifications:

• 6+ years experience negotiating and drafting complex technology and IP‑focused agreements
• 4+ years expertise advising on cloud, AI, and emerging technology issues, including regulatory and compliance considerations.
• Demonsrated project management skills

#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.