About the role

Aplyr's Quick Take

This role is for a Senior Corporate Counsel focused on patents within Microsoft's Cloud AI division. You'll provide legal advice, manage patent portfolios, and collaborate with engineering teams on intellectual property strategies. It's an individual contributor role requiring strong legal and technical skills.

Good fit

Ideal candidates have a law degree, experience in patent law, and a background in technology or engineering. You should be adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment with multiple stakeholders.

Worth noting

The position emphasizes collaboration with engineering teams and requires managing complex legal issues, which may be challenging for those not accustomed to a tech-focused legal environment. The salary listed seems unusually low for a senior legal position.

Overview

Microsoft's Patent Group has an immediate opening for a Senior Corporate Counsel to support Microsoft's Cloud & AI businesses, including Cloud Operations and Innovation, AI Platform, and Azure Health.

In this role, you will help shape and execute patent strategy for cutting-edge cloud, AI, and hardware technologies that power Microsoft's global cloud infrastructure, advance next-generation AI capabilities, and transform healthcare delivery. You will collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to identify patentable innovations, develop global filing and prosecution strategies, and build a high-quality patent portfolio aligned with Microsoft's business and technology priorities.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical, legal, and communication skills, along with experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives in a fast-paced and evolving technology environment. We value intellectual curiosity, adaptability, perseverance, and a commitment to continuous learning.

Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day legal advice to build, protect, and maintain Microsoft's patent portfolio, draft a variety of transaction-related documents, and manage resolution of legal disputes and risks related to intellectual property

Serve as a trusted advisor to engineering teams on intellectual property protection and risk mitigation strategies

Lead negotiations to resolve or mitigate patent disputes and assertions

Supervise and coordinate with outside counsel on patent prosecution and portfolio management matters

Support business negotiations and draft agreements addressing complex intellectual property issues

Collaborate with in-house subject matter experts and legal teams across the organization to advise leadership and solve problems

Keep informed of relevant legal developments as they occur and analyze their applicability to the company's activities and objectives

Partner across Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA), using clear written and verbal communication to organize and simplify complex issues

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

10+ years of experience as a practicing attorney at a law firm or in-house experience in patent law, including in-house patent counsel experience at a technology company

Technical background in computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, or equivalent experience

Demonstrated experience developing patent strategies for business initiatives, counseling cross-functional teams on complex IP issues, and negotiating IP terms in business transactions such as licensing agreements, joint ventures, or M&A deals

Experience with cloud computing, distributed systems, AI/ML technologies, or healthcare platforms

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.

Aplyr's read

Microsoft is a technology giant shaping global computing, attracting talent interested in innovation and impact across software, cloud, and AI sectors.
Synthesized from recent postings & public sources

What's promising

•Strong commitment to innovation in AI and cloud computing.
•Diverse range of roles from technical to managerial, offering career growth.
•Financially stable with a robust global presence and market influence.

What to watch

•Complex organizational structure can slow decision-making processes.
•High competition for roles may limit entry-level opportunities.
•Potential for work-life balance challenges in high-demand positions.

Why Microsoft

•Pioneer in personal and business computing with a legacy of innovation.
•Extensive global reach with a diverse workforce and inclusive culture.
•Leader in integrating AI into mainstream software and cloud services.

Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?

About Microsoft

Microsoft

microsoft.com

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MSFT$397.36-1.50%

Microsoft is a global technology company that develops, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products, services, and devices. Known for its Windows operating system and Office productivity suite, Microsoft has a significant impact on personal and business computing worldwide.