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Microsoft’s Corporate & External Legal Affairs (CELA) group seeks a Principal Coporate Counsel to provide comprehensive and coordinated legal support for the teams that design and construct datacenters powering the Microsoft Cloud. The candidate will have a demonstrated capability to support the execution of complex design and construction projects and advise on a wide variety of related issues including real estate and commercial transactions, entitlements, land use, compliance, health & safety, and dispute resolution. We are looking for a self-starter who is skilled at collaborating with a variety of stakeholders and is passionate about problem-solving.

Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. Within HR at Microsoft, our mission is to empower the people who empower the planet. You can help us achieve our mission.

Responsibilities

This person will advise internal business clients and manage outside counsel on a variety of topics, including:

• The procurement of equipment and related construction services, manufacturing, and/or hardware product development counseling and transactions.
• The development of new datacenters and cloud infrastructure. Demonstrated capability to support the execution of complex design & construction projects and advise on a wide variety of related issues including real estate & commercial transactions, compliance, health & safety, and dispute resolution.
• Construction, architecture/engineering, and consulting services contracts ranging from standard engagements to complex, high-value transactions (requiring fluency with different construction delivery models and industry forms).
• Legal issues that arise in commercial relationships, including claims and pre-litigation disputes.
• Ancillary categories such as anti-corruption/anti-bribery compliance, labor, health & safety, government affairs, and community development.
• Our cloud infrastructure business has grown rapidly, and continued growth is anticipated, with a focus on building and owning. This candidate will support work that is difficult or cost prohibitive to outsource, e.g., multi-geo strategic initiatives, daily counseling, supplier vetting, training, etc.
• Embody our culture and a demonstrated commitment to the company’s core values, including a commitment to high ethical standards, unquestioned integrity, learning mindset and diversity & inclusion.

Qualifications

Required qualifications

• Juris Doctorate Degree or Equivalent International Degree
  • OR Completion of a Legal Apprenticeship.
• Active license to practice law in a jurisdiction and capable of meeting admission requirements in relevant jurisdiction.
• 5+ years experience as a practicing attorney
  • OR equivalent practice of law.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting large ($100M+) development projects.
• Experience counseling on intellectual property issues.
• In-house experience in technology, construction, or real estate company.
• Keen business sense, flexible and analytical thinker able to identify legal issues quickly and accurately in a complex environment and to develop practical solutions by exercising judgment in ambiguous situations.
• Works efficiently, meets deadlines, prioritizes workflow with minimal supervision, and adjusts to evolving business imperatives.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate well with team members on projects that cut across organizational and geographical boundaries.
• Experience and comfort working with data, including measuring program performance and effectiveness, informing priorities and deliver insights to stakeholders.

Legal Counsel IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $129,200 - $227,500 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 $162,000 - $243,000 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until June 14, 2024.

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Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.