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Fostering digital safety for customers, Microsoft’s services, and the overall online ecosystem is one of today’s most pressing issues for the tech sector. Microsoft’s Digital Safety Unit, within the Corporate, External and Legal Affairs Division, seeks to:

• Shape global policy and emerging legal frameworks related to digital safety by engaging across industry, government, and civil society
• Mitigate digital risk to users by enabling Microsoft's compliance with legal obligations and voluntary commitments to remove or otherwise manage illegal and harmful online content
• Integrate safety-by-design into Microsoft products and services by working closely with engineering and business groups to drive real change

We are seeking an outstanding Principal Corporate Counsel to join our Digital Safety team. You will play a key role in how we address online harms across the ecosystem of Microsoft products and services. This is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic team on critical issues of company-wide and international importance.

The Digital Safety Office at Microsoft has the mission to empower every person to have safe and trusted digital experiences across Microsoft products and services. We are seeking a strategic and experienced program manager to lead Microsoft’s efforts to advocate for child safety and well-being with a particular focus on age appropriate design and age assurance. This role will join our Public Policy & Partnerships team, and engage deeply with Microsoft engineers, government affairs teams and lawyers and engage with leaders across Microsoft, government and non-governmental organizations.

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.

In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day

Responsibilities

Legal Advice and Counsel

• Act as a primary legal contact for products and services, including legal, business, engineering, litigation, and advocacy functions, on a broad range of issues impacting digital safety within the services.
• Issue-spot and liaise with subject matter experts and outside counsel to anticipate and address multi-disciplinary issues impacting digital safety, including data privacy, cybersecurity, consumer protection, human rights, lawful access, and responsible AI among others.
• Support risk assessment and safety by design engagements to drive continuous safety improvement.

Operational Excellence

• Engages with legal and other business colleagues to identify and share best practices
• Provides continuous feedback and contributes to the improvement of project operational efficiencies; provides recommendations to improve efficiencies within work group and for the delivery of legal services to clients
• Models compliance and maintains confidentiality, attorney-client privilege, privacy, and the security of data

Communication

• Collaborates effectively within work group and across legal, government affairs and business functions
• Organizes and simplifies issues and ideas in written and verbal communication

Other

• Embody our culture and values

Qualifications

Required/Minimum 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 Washington
• 5+ years experience as a practicing attorney OR equivalent pratice of law
• 2+ years experience supporting engineering teams to implement compliance programs that impact product design

Additional Or Preferred Qualifications

• 2+ years experience as in-house counsel supporting consumer technology products and services
• Demonstrated experience in trust and safety
• Demonstrated knowledge of current events, political trends, and technology policy issues
• Experience developing and instituting cross-functional processes and leading cross-functional teams
• Bias for action, with the ability to think strategically, design for clarity, and advocate for positions in the face of complex and ambiguous situations
• Ability to network and collaborate with colleagues across disciplines and time zones
• Ability to work independently, meet demanding deadlines, prioritize and flex to changing demands
• Outstanding analytical skills

Legal Counsel IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $124,800 - $222,000 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 $159,000 - $238,600 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 this role until May 2, 2024.

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.