Graduate Legal Counsel - Tech Sector

Canonical; Minneapolis (MN); Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Canonical is seeking a Graduate Legal Counsel to join their expanding legal team. This role offers a unique opportunity for recent graduates with a law degree to engage in transactional matters within the tech sector, focusing on contracts and collaboration with global teams. Candidates should demonstrate strong academic achievements and a passion for technology, with opportunities for professional growth and development.

Benefits

USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget

Annual compensation review and recognition rewards

Holiday, maternity, and paternity leave

Wellness programs and support

Opportunities for travel and professional growth

Qualifications

• Exceptional academic record from high school and university.
• Active legal practice license or progress toward 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 cross-functional teams on company initiatives.

Skills

Commercial judgment

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

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 innovation, and IoT. Our customers include top public cloud and silicon providers, as well as industry leaders across sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and few office-based roles. Teams meet periodically in interesting locations worldwide to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing. We are expanding our in-house legal team, creating an opportunity for an exceptional recent graduate as a junior Legal Advisor or Legal Counsel. The successful candidate will be a diligent and effective practitioner with strong academic achievement and social engagement. They will work on transactional matters in technology and enterprise software, including contracts related to global employment, contracting, and partnerships. The role focuses on ability over experience; applicants with a relevant degree are encouraged to apply, regardless of extensive work experience. The successful candidate will collaborate with our legal team and colleagues worldwide.

Candidates must 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 approach to improvement.

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

The role entails:

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. Collaborating with cross-functional teams on company initiatives
5. Using Canonical's contract management system for accurate data maintenance
6. Working with local counsel in various countries for legal advice

What we are looking for in you:

• Exceptional academic record from high school and university
• A law degree, JD, or equivalent, with active legal practice license or current progress toward it
• Drive and a history of exceeding expectations
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills in a fast-paced, multicultural environment
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• A passion for technology demonstrated through personal initiatives
• Excellent professional English communication, drafting, and presentation skills
• Confidence to share ideas and give/receive feedback respectfully
• Appreciation for diversity; effective in multicultural settings
• Interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
• Self-motivation and thoughtfulness
• Result-oriented with a personal drive to meet commitments
• 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 and influence skills
• Understanding of the open source community and values
• Knowledge of the technology industry (silicon, data centers, connected devices, software)
• Experience in in-house legal teams or law firms

What we offer colleagues:

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints
• USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget
• Annual compensation review and recognition rewards
• Holiday, maternity, and paternity leave
• Wellness programs and support
• Opportunities for travel and professional growth

About Canonical: Canonical is a pioneering tech firm leading the open source movement. As the publisher of Ubuntu, a key platform for AI, IoT, and cloud, we are transforming software. We recruit globally, uphold high standards, and value excellence. Most colleagues work remotely, fostering a forward-thinking environment that encourages continuous learning and innovation.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to fair treatment for all applicants.