Legal Counsel, Copyright Attorney

Mistral AI Mistral AI · AI Frontier · Paris, France · Legal

This role is for a Copyright Attorney focused on data and content acquisitions for AI applications, including pre-training, post-training, and RAG. The attorney will negotiate agreements, mitigate copyright risks, and shape licensing models. The role requires substantial experience in tech/media/AI legal work, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to bridge legal, technical, and business teams.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead and support negotiations for inbound and outbound licensing agreements, data acquisitions, and content partnerships.
  2. Draft, review, and finalize contracts to ensure legal compliance and alignment with business objectives.
  3. Monitor copyright litigation, regulatory developments, and industry trends to identify risks and opportunities.
  4. Act as the primary legal contact for copyright-related matters, providing clear and actionable guidance to product, engineering, and research teams.
  5. Develop internal policies, workflows, and training materials to educate teams on copyright issues and best practices.

Skills

Required

  • Master’s degree in law from a top European law school
  • 10+ years of experience
  • substantial in-house legal experience in tech, media, or AI-related industries
  • previous experience as a copyright or contract negotiation attorney in a tier-1 law firm
  • Technical proficiency in Copyright, including experience with digital content, data licensing, and AI-related legal issue
  • solid understanding of French and European copyright law
  • experience navigating complex legal frameworks related to digital content, data licensing, and AI technologies
  • Demonstrated ability to negotiate and draft high-stakes agreements, including Licensing agreements (inbound/outbound), Data access and acquisition contracts, Partnership agreements and/or Software selling/buying contracts
  • Dynamic and persuasive communicator, capable of building trust with internal teams and external partners and to simplify complex legal concepts for non-legal stakeholders (e.g., product, engineering, research teams).
  • Comfortable acting as a bridge between legal, technical, and business teams to align objectives and mitigate risks.
  • Strong ability to identify, analyze, and mitigate legal risks in a fast-evolving regulatory landscape and talent for translating legal constraints into actionable strategies that support business growth
  • Thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment where priorities and challenges evolve rapidly.
  • Collaborative, low-ego, and eager to contribute to a cross-functional, international team.
  • Proactive and resourceful, with a solution-oriented mindset and willingness to "roll up your sleeves" to get things done.

What the JD emphasized

  • substantial in-house legal experience
  • copyright or contract negotiation attorney in a tier-1 law firm
  • high-stakes agreements
  • building trust with internal teams and external partners
  • simplify complex legal concepts
  • legal risks
  • actionable strategies
  • fast-paced, innovative environment
  • cross-functional, international team
  • solution-oriented mindset
  • roll up your sleeves