Junior Legal Counsel - Commercial

About Us

Always open. Our code, our culture, our opportunities. Leading open innovation without limits. We are SUSE.

SUSE is a global leader in innovative, reliable and secure enterprise open source solutions, including SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), Rancher and NeuVector. More than 60% of the Fortune 500 rely on SUSE to power their mission-critical workloads, enabling them to innovate everywhere – from the data center to the cloud, to the edge and beyond. SUSE puts the “open” back in open source, collaborating with partners and communities to give customers the agility to tackle innovation challenges today and the freedom to evolve their strategy and solutions tomorrow.  

We are open in our roots and open in our approach, striving to be the most trusted open innovator in the World. Openness extends beyond our technology. Our vibrant community thrives on diversity and connectivity without borders.

Job Description

SUSE Legal is seeking to engage a Junior Legal Counsel – Commercial to join our growing team in the Americas. We are building a best-in-class legal team, partnering effectively with the business and further positioning for growth as SUSE continues its journey as a mature and successful key player in the infrastructure management space. In this role, you will work as part of a team of lawyers and contract negotiators around the globe to provide efficient and high-quality legal support to SUSE sales, product and engineering teams. 

As Junior Legal Counsel – Commercial, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our strategic technology initiatives. Working with guidance and mentorship from more senior members of the team,  you will be responsible for negotiating, drafting, and managing global, complex technology transaction agreements that help drive our rapid sales growth. You will stay up to date on the open source technologies that govern our product development and participate in the development of our commercial contract templates and playbooks, while also collaborating with our product groups for the development of our open source distributions. Reporting directly to the Divisional General Counsel, Americas, your role will include the following: 

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements.

• Advise business teams on legal risks and obligations related to commercial transactions and business operations.

• Support sales, procurement, and business development teams in structuring deals and resolving contract-related issues.

• Provide practical, solution-oriented legal advice on a wide range of issues

• Advise on the use and distribution of open source software, including license compatibility and compliance

• Contribute to the development of contract templates and playbooks to improve efficiency and compliance.

• Monitor and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies in all commercial activities.

• Manage and help resolve disputes or claims arising from commercial relationships, including pre-litigation matters.

• Collaborate with finance, operations, and other internal stakeholders to align legal support with business objectives.
   

• Work closely with internal stakeholders, including sales, engineering, product, and compliance teams, to ensure alignment on business objectives 

• Work closely with the business to assist in the ongoing contract and relationship management to support business objectives and drive revenue growth

• Work closely with colleagues in SUSE Legal as you develop greater subject matter expertise relative to our business 

• Keep abreast of latest regulatory developments impacting strategic technology partnerships, including customer and supplier businesses 
   

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school 

• Admission to the bar in the US state in which you reside

• 2-5 years of post-bar experience as a practicing attorney

• Strong knowledge of contract, intellectual property, data and cyber laws, as they customarily relate to technology contracts, or a committed willingness to develop such knowledge 

• Excellent negotiation, legal analysis and writing skills

• Basic knowledge of open source licensing principles 

• Proven ability to manage complex legal projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams 

• Exceptional communication, critical reasoning,  and interpersonal skills 

• Strong influencing skills 

• A demonstrated passion for problem-solving and thinking outside-the-box to get the best business outcomes 

• Strong business acumen and the ability to provide practical, business-oriented legal advice 

• We are a mission-driven company with open source at the core

• We embrace a remote-first culture with flexible work environment

• We offer, meaningful legal work that blends tech, business, and community

• We have a small, collaborative team where you’ll make a direct impact and will have tremendous opportunity to learn and grow as a commercial attorney

If this role is filled in the United States of America, the starting base salary is expected to be between $103,000 and $189,000. In addition to this base salary, we offer a corporate bonus plan, paid quarterly and an attractive benefits package. US benefits include a comprehensive medical plan, life and disability insurance, 401k, Employee Assistance Programme and generous paid time off and leave policies. 

Actual compensation will be determined by factors such as experience, skills, geographical location, internal equity, and budget. Please note that this salary information is applicable to the US only.

Job

What We Offer 

We empower you to be bold, driving your career to create the future you want. We celebrate and reward your achievements.  

SUSE is a dynamic environment that is evolving rapidly, thus requiring agility, strong entrepreneurship and an open mind. 

This is a compelling opportunity for the right person to join us as we continue to scale and prosper.   

If you’re a big thinker, obsessed by execution and thrive in a dynamic environment in which you can tangibly create a lasting legacy, then please apply now!  

We give you the freedom to be yourself. You will work in a global community of unique individuals – like you – with different backgrounds, talents, skills and perspectives. A truly open community where everyone is welcome, has a voice and is encouraged to reach their full potential regardless of age, gender, race, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, religion, or any other characteristics.   

Sounds like the right fit for you? Click Apply to submit your resume. A recruiter will contact you if your skills match our current or any future positions. In the meantime, stay updated on the latest SUSE news and job vacancies by joining our Talent Community.

SUSE Values 

• Choice

• Innovation

• Trust

• Community