Lead Counsel, AI Partnerships

Meta; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 170,000 - 237,000; Full time

Job summary

Meta is seeking a Lead Counsel for AI Partnerships to support commercial deals spanning model distribution, data licensing, licensing arrangements, and enterprise partnerships. You will work with cross-functional teams to protect Meta’s interests while enabling rapid go-to-market strategies in a fast-evolving AI space.

This role emphasizes independent deal-making, risk assessment in regulatory environments, and experience in technology transactions within a leading tech company.

Qualifications

• J.D. and bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 5+ years of legal experience in technology transactions or partnerships.
• Experience structuring and negotiating complex technology agreements (cloud/SaaS).
• Ability to operate independently with competing priorities and close deals.
• Experience advising on risk in evolving regulatory environments.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary legal partner for distributing Meta's AI models through CSPs, OSS channels, and go-to-market paths.
• Structure, negotiate, and close distribution agreements protecting Meta's interests.
• Lead or support complex AI commercial transactions including partnerships and licenses.
• Advise on data licensing for model training and product development.
• Provide commercial counsel to teams building AI-powered consumer experiences.
• Collaborate with business, product, engineering, policy, and other legal teams.

Skills

Independent work

Deal negotiation

Risk assessment

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

J.D. and U.S. bar membership

Job description

About the RoleMeta's Legal team is looking for a Commercial Counsel to join our AI Partnerships Legal group. This role will support the full range of commercial legal work powering Meta's AI ambitions - with a particular focus on bringing our models to market across the broader ecosystem.About the TeamThe AI Partnerships Legal team supports Meta's most commercially significant AI relationships - from frontier model partnerships and data licensing to ecosystem distribution and product integrations. The work is fast-paced, high-visibility, and directly tied to Meta's AI strategy.

Lead Counsel, AI Partnerships Responsibilities:

• Model Distribution & Ecosystem Launch: Serve as the primary legal partner for efforts to distribute Meta's AI models through cloud service providers (CSPs), open source channels, and other go-to-market pathways
• Structure, negotiate, and close distribution agreements that enable broad model availability while protecting Meta's interests
• Large-Scale AI Commercial Transactions: Lead or support complex commercial deals involving AI technology - including strategic partnerships, joint development arrangements, and enterprise licensing
• Data Licensing: Advise on data acquisition and licensing transactions that fuel model training and product development, including negotiating inbound and outbound data rights
• Consumer Product Support: Provide commercial legal counsel to teams building and shipping AI-powered consumer experiences across Meta's family of apps
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Work closely with business development, product, engineering, policy, and other legal teams to enable fast-moving commercial activity in a rapidly evolving space

Minimum Qualifications:

• J.D. (or equivalent) and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 5+ years of legal experience, with meaningful time spent on technology transactions, commercial licensing, or strategic partnerships
• Experience structuring and negotiating complex commercial agreements (cloud, SaaS, platform, or similar technology deals)
• Ability to operate independently, manage competing priorities, and drive deals to close with minimal oversight
• Experience assessing legal risk and advising business stakeholders on risk mitigation strategies in ambiguous or evolving regulatory environments and comfortable advising where the law is unsettled or evolving

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
• Background working with CSPs (AWS, Azure, GCP) on technology distribution or marketplace agreements
• Familiarity with open source licensing frameworks and community dynamics
• Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
• Experience supporting go-to-market strategies for platform or developer ecosystem products
• Direct experience with AI/ML model licensing, distribution, or commercialization
• Prior in-house experience at a technology company operating at scale
• Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)

About Meta:

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today-beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Aff...

We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.

Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].

$170,000/year to $237,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.