Overview
Microsoft has an immediate opportunity for an experienced attorney to join the Corporate External and Legal Affairs (CELA) team to provide legal support for Microsoft's worldwide commercial licensing business as part of the Global Deal Team.
As Senior Corporate Counsel, you will work closely with other lawyers and business clients to support the evolution of Microsoft's $200B worldwide commercial licensing business, ensuring that program design, licensing terms and agreements comply with legal and regulatory requirements. You will also provide advice on a wide range of legal issues related to contracts, intellectual property, data privacy, competition, regulatory compliance, marketing, and other areas of U.S. and international law. This role is an opportunity to support business and legal teams in negotiating strategic and complex commercial transactions with large enterprise customers and using insights from those deals to drive improvements to Microsoft’s licensing terms and business processes.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with a talented group of legal professionals committed to learning and collaboration to help shape the strategy that drives Microsoft’s commercial success.
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 Solutions: **
Act as the primary legal counsel for assigned clients on a variety of legal, business, and compliance issues related to licensing Microsoft products and online services to commercial customers
Draft legal terms related to commercial licensing transactions, including programmatic agreements, standard amendments, custom amendments, notices, and disclaimers
Identify and anticipate legal risks in proposed business plans, collaborate with legal colleagues and outside counsel to evaluate potential risks, advise cross-functional teams, and help develop practical and scalable solutions to mitigate such risks
Support business and legal teams in negotiating high-value transactions by providing actionable advice and training grounded with in-depth understanding of the legal issues, licensing terms, and business processes
Engage with legal and other business colleagues (e.g., operations, deal desk, finance, tax and trade, compliance) to identify issues and share best practices
Demonstrate highly effective communication skills, verbally and in writing, to distill complex legal issues for stakeholders
Effectively manage large, multi-dimensional projects that require collaboration among many stakeholders to meet tight deadlines in the face of competing priorities
**Culture **
Embody our Cultureand 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
**Minimum 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 or preferred qualifications **
6+ years’ experience with the following:
- Contract law, intellectual property, data protection, privacy law, competition law, anti-corruption, and/or trade law
- Law firm or in-house roles specializing in complex transactions, including technology transactions, M&A, business development, or related work managing complex transactions involving multiple stakeholders
- Regulatory issues pertaining to software and cloud services in industries such as banking and financial services, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, etc.
- Microsoft Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
1+ years’ experience using AI technology to create work product and automate tasks
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.**