Graduate Legal Counsel - Tech Sector

Canonical; San Jose (CA); Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Canonical is seeking a Graduate Legal Counsel to join their expanding legal team. This role involves drafting contracts and providing legal support in a dynamic tech environment. Ideal candidates will have a law degree and strong organizational skills, demonstrating a passion for technology and collaborative work in a multicultural setting.

Benefits

USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget

Annual compensation review

Recognition rewards

Wellness programs and support

Opportunities to travel and meet colleagues

Qualifications

• Excellent academic record from high school and university.
• Active or progressing license to practice law.
• Drive and a track record 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

Commercial judgment

Organizational skills

Legal advice

Interpersonal skills

Education

Law degree or JD

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, and industry leaders across sectors. We are a pioneer in global distributed collaboration with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries, with few office-based roles. Teams meet 2-4 times annually 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 Junior Legal Counsel. The successful candidate will be a rigorous and effective practitioner with strong academic achievement and social engagement. They will work on transactional matters in technology and enterprise software, as well as contracts related to global employment, contracting, and partnerships. The role is open to applicants with a relevant degree, regardless of extensive work experience. The candidate will collaborate closely 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, detailed analysis, conscientiousness, and ambition to improve processes.

Location: This role is home-based in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or the Americas, with an option for 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. Supporting company initiatives with cross-functional teams
5. Maintaining contract data in Canonical's contract management system
6. Collaborating with local counsel in various countries

What we are looking for in you:

1. Excellent academic record from high school and university
2. A law degree, JD, or equivalent, with active or progressing license to practice law
3. Drive and a track record of exceeding expectations
4. Strong organizational and prioritization skills in a fast-paced, multicultural environment
5. Ability to work independently and in teams
6. Passion for technology demonstrated through personal projects
7. Professional proficiency in English, with excellent drafting and presentation skills
8. Confidence to speak up, give feedback, and share ideas
9. Appreciation for diversity and effectiveness in a multicultural setting
10. Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
11. Thoughtfulness and self-motivation
12. Result-oriented with a personal drive to meet commitments
13. Ability to travel twice a year for company events, up to two weeks

Nice-to-have skills:

1. Experience in commercial transactions, IP, or corporate law
2. Leadership skills and influence
3. Understanding of open source community and values
4. Knowledge of the technology industry (silicon, data centers, connected devices, software)
5. Experience in in-house legal teams or law firms

What we offer:

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints
• USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards, holiday leave, maternity/paternity leave
• Wellness programs and support
• Opportunities to travel and meet colleagues
• Travel benefits for company events

About Canonical:

Canonical pioneers in open source, publishing Ubuntu, a key platform for AI, IoT, and cloud. We hire globally, uphold high standards, and expect excellence. Most employees work remotely, and we encourage innovative thinking, continuous learning, and skill development.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion. We value diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and we consider all applications fairly.