Corporate Counsel: AI Software and Platform
Members of the Legal organization at select locations will generally follow a hybrid work model, which includes two days of in-office attendance each week, with limited exceptions.
Meet the Team
The legal team supporting Cisco’s AI Software and Platform Group is a small but mighty collection of legal professionals dedicated to navigating groundbreaking issues impacting Cisco’s primary AI product and platform development organization. This Corporate Counsel will work with the Senior Corporate Counsel and others to support the company’s business and technology partners responsible for guiding Cisco’s development and go-to-market strategy throughout its primary AI product and platform offerings. Areas of focus will include AI Assistants, AI Defense products, Agentic-powered platforms, simplification and management of Cisco AI products across the portfolio, and development and incubation of new AI solutions.
Responsibilities
- Support the introduction of new AI products and solutions, helping to ensure production readiness and build scalable product compliance strategies.
- Develop deep knowledge of Cisco's AI Software and Platform initiatives, products, processes, and go-to-market strategies; build close working relationships with product management, engineering, operations, finance, sales, and business development teams.
- Provide legal advice across emerging AI regulations, AI governance practices, intellectual property, regulatory and market access issues, and transactional matters.
- Collaborate extensively and proactively with other legal professionals within Product Legal and SME organizations.
- Lead with problem-solving, curiosity, drive, and thoughtfulness.
Requirements
- Bar admission in any jurisdiction with good standing.
- Minimum of 6+ years of relevant experience at a law firm and/or in-house (ideal candidate will have both).
- Legal experience in software and cloud services industries, ideally with a recent emphasis on Artificial Intelligence.
- A background in computing infrastructure is helpful.
- Proven knowledge of intellectual property, regulatory, and development issues germane to software and cloud services development and marketing.
- Outstanding contract negotiation and drafting skills, including experience negotiating complex licensing agreements and working with large customers and strategic partners.
- Ability to understand and synthesize complex issues, assess legal and business risk, and provide concise, plain-English, business-focused advice.
Preferred Qualifications
- Tight-knit collaboration skills for close partnerships with business, technical, and Legal team members.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize, lead, and deliver on simultaneous projects under deadline pressure.
- Drive and commitment to contribute to cross-functional initiatives across the Legal organization.
About Cisco
At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era—and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale.
Pay
The starting salary range for this position is $178,900.00 to $226,400.00 for new hires in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation, equity, or benefits. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. Below are the full salary ranges for specific locations:
- New York City Metro Area: $214,800.00 - $312,400.00
- Non-Metro New York State & Washington State: $190,800.00 - $277,500.00
For quota-based sales roles, the ranges include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
- 401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution.
- Paid parental leave.
- Short- and long-term disability coverage.
- Basic life insurance.
- Eligibility for grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment.
- Paid time away:
- 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees.
- 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday.
- Paid year-end holiday shutdown.
- 4 paid days off for personal wellness.
- Non-exempt employees: 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at 4.92 hours per pay period.
- Exempt employees: Flexible vacation time off with no defined limit (subject to business limitations).
- 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, with up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward.
- Additional paid time away for critical or emergency family issues.
- Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer.
- Annual bonuses for non-sales roles, subject to Cisco’s policies.
- For sales roles: Performance-based incentive pay split between quota and non-quota components. Quota-based incentive pay structure:
- 0.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota.
- 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%.
- 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%.
- Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap.
Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.