Graduate Legal Counsel - Tech Sector

Canonical; Fresno (CA); Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Canonical is seeking a Graduate Legal Counsel to join its expanding legal team. This home-based role involves drafting contracts and providing legal support for technology and enterprise software. The ideal candidate will have a law degree and demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a proactive attitude.

Benefits

Annual learning and development budget of USD 2,000

Regular compensation reviews and performance incentives

Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints

Qualifications

• Excellent academic record from high school and university.
• Active legal practice license or progress towards it.
• Drive and history of exceeding expectations.

Responsibilities

• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts globally.
• Providing legal support to internal teams, including sales.
• Collaborating with local counsel in various countries.

Skills

Organizational skills

Commercial judgment

Attention to detail

Effective communication

Teamwork

Self-motivation

Education

Law degree (JD or equivalent)

Job description

Join to apply for the Graduate Legal Counsel - Tech Sector role at Canonical.

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering, and IoT. Our customers include top public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders across sectors. We have a global, distributed team of over 1200 colleagues in more than 75 countries, with few office-based roles. Teams meet a few times yearly in interesting locations worldwide to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing. We are expanding our legal team and seeking an exceptional recent graduate for the role of junior Legal Advisor or Legal Counsel. The ideal candidate will be academically accomplished, socially engaged, and eager to work on transactional matters in technology and enterprise software, including global contracts, employment, and partnerships. We value ability over experience; a relevant degree is required, but extensive work experience is not. The role involves close collaboration with our legal team and colleagues worldwide.

Candidates should demonstrate good commercial judgment, be organized, efficient, and capable of providing high-quality legal and commercial advice. We seek a rigorous work ethic, attention to detail, conscientiousness, and a proactive attitude toward improvement.

Location: This is a home-based role in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or the Americas, with an option to work from our London office.

Responsibilities include:

1. Reporting to our global general counsel
2. Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts globally
3. Providing legal support to internal teams, including sales
4. Supporting company initiatives through cross-functional collaboration
5. Maintaining accurate contract data using Canonical's contract management system
6. Collaborating with local counsel in various countries

Qualifications:

• Excellent academic record from high school and university
• A law degree (JD or equivalent) and active legal practice license or current progress towards it
• Drive and a history of exceeding expectations
• Strong organizational skills and ability to work in a fast-paced, multicultural environment
• Effective independence and teamwork skills
• Passion for technology demonstrated through personal projects
• Professional proficiency in English, with excellent drafting and presentation skills
• Confidence in communication, feedback exchange, and idea sharing
• Appreciation for diversity and cultural sensitivity
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, adaptability, and accountability
• Self-motivation and thoughtfulness
• Result-oriented with a commitment to meeting deadlines
• Willingness to travel twice a year for company events, up to two weeks

Nice-to-have skills:

• Experience in commercial transactions, IP, or corporate law
• Leadership qualities and influence skills
• Understanding of open source community and values
• Knowledge of the tech industry (silicon, data centers, connected devices, software)
• Experience in in-house legal teams or law firms

What we offer:

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints
• Annual learning and development budget of USD 2,000
• Regular compensation reviews and performance incentives
• Additional benefits aligned with our values and local needs

About Canonical: Canonical is a pioneer in open source, publishing Ubuntu, a key platform for AI, IoT, and cloud computing. We hire globally, set high standards, and foster excellence. Most colleagues work remotely, and working here is a forward-looking experience that encourages innovation and skill development.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We evaluate all applications fairly, regardless of background or identity.