Are you ready to work on cutting edge legal, business, and technology issues while supporting a global sales organization?

We are looking for a talented and experienced attorney to join our Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) group and lead our legal work for the Windows & Device Sales team in the Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions (MCAPS) organization. This Senior Corporate Counsell will serve as the CELA Windows & Device Sales lead responsible for helping enable growth and innovation in Microsoft’s Windows ecosystem while navigating complex and high-visibility legal and contractual issues related to Microsoft’s licensing and distribution agreements and relationships. To further support the work, the Windows & Device Sales Lead will manage a global team of experienced attorneys and legal professionals and drive innovative and scalable legal support via AI-driven transformation.

This role requires deep engagement and collaboration with internal business and legal stakeholders throughout Microsoft, including with engineering, marketing, field sales, compliance, and subject-matter expert teams. In addition, this role will require engagement with legal professionals at Microsoft’s largest original equipment manufacturer, retail, and distribution partners in Microsoft’s Windows ecosystem.

• Strategic Legal Partnership: Serve as the primary legal advisor to the Windows & Device Sales organization to address a wide range of legal and regulatory issues and provide proactive, solution-orientated legal guidance aligned with business strategy.
• Team Leadership: Lead, inspire, and develop a diverse team of legal professionals located globally while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Build and maintain deep partnerships with internal legal stakeholders - including those who support the Windows ecosystem and other MCAPS organizations - to ensure alignment, collaboration, and execution of roles and responsibilities.
• Strategic and Commercial Transactions: Oversee and provide counsel on complex, high-value commercial transactions, including strategic settlement agreements, licensing agreements, and distribution agreements, ensuring compliance with Microsoft policies and regulatory requirements.
• Process Improvement & Innovation: Support the adoption of AI-driven tools and scalable legal processes to accelerate support for key growth businesses, automate routine work, and drive operational excellence while enabling business stakeholders to move quickly.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with external senior legal counsel for partners critical to the Windows ecosystem.
• Risk Management & Compliance: 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.
• Continuous Improvement: Drive feedback loops, learning, and sharing of best practices to enhance team performance and outcomes.

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

• Minimum of 6+ years of legal experience, ideally with some experience managing a team.
• Experience in navigating issues in corporate and commercial law, regulatory compliance, and complex, high-value transactions.
• A global mindset and proven ability to work with teams and businesses across multiple cultures and geographies is preferred.
• Strong collaboration skills, business acumen, executive presence, stakeholder management skills, and the ability to provide pragmatic legal advice in a dynamic environment.
• A growth mindset: an innate desire to constantly learn and improve; a desire to face challenges bravely and positively; openness to feedback and other viewpoints; and the ability to learn from one’s own and other people’s mistakes.
• High personal standards of commitment and integrity.
• Desire and ability to work as part of an inclusive team, and to foster inclusion in the workplace.

Legal Counsel M5 - 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.