Director, Product Legal (Security) – Hybrid Leader

Cisco Systems; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 240,000 - 304,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems is seeking a strategic, technology-focused attorney to serve as Director, Associate General Counsel for Cisco’s Security Business Group. You will lead the legal professionals delivering front-line counseling across product development and go-to-market activities for SBG, reporting to senior legal leadership.

You will partner with executives and cross-functional teams, translate complex issues into practical guidance, and build scalable legal strategies to enable innovation while

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor or equivalent law degree and active bar membership in good standing in at least one jurisdiction.
• 10-12+ years of relevant legal experience at a law firm and/or in-house legal department, including meaningful experience advising enterprise technology, software, cloud services, cybersecurity, or observability businesses.
• 5+ years of experience leading attorneys and other legal professionals, including responsibility for team development, performance management, prioritization, and delivery of legal services across a sophisticated organization.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives on sophisticated product development and go-to-market matters involving intellectual property, licensing, data, privacy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, regulatory requirements, and technology transactions.
• Experience leading legal support for global product portfolios or business units, including the ability to assess sophisticated legal and business risks and provide practical, business-focused mentorship.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and inspire the legal teams supporting the SBG units, establishing clear priorities and delivering coordinated, high-quality legal support across the organization.
• Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to senior business leaders on product development, technology strategy, go-to-market models, regulatory requirements, intellectual property, commercial matters, and other significant legal and business risks.
• Guide legal support for SBG products and services throughout their lifecycles, including compose and development, product readiness, launch, commercialization, integration, and compliance.
• Develop scalable legal strategies and operating models that enable innovation and growth while effectively handling risk across sophisticated security software, cloud, data, AI, and platform offerings.
• Collaborate proactively across Product Legal and with Legal subject-matter guides and cross-functional partners, including product management, engineering, sales, marketing, finance, operations, privacy, security, regulatory, AI governance, competition, intellectual property, and corporate development teams.

Job description

Cisco Systems is seeking a strategic, technology-focused attorney to serve as Director, Associate General Counsel for Cisco’s Security Business Group. You will lead the legal professionals delivering front-line counseling across product development and go-to-market activities for SBG, reporting to senior legal leadership.

You will partner with executives and cross-functional teams, translate complex issues into practical guidance, and build scalable legal strategies to enable innovation while