Senior Product & Commercial Counsel

About the role

Docker is a globally distributed, remote-first team building the tools that define how software gets built and delivered. As AI agents redefine software development, Docker is at the center of that shift, providing the sandboxed environments, verified images, and secure infrastructure that make autonomous workflows trustworthy by default.

The Principal Product & Commercial Counsel will report to Docker's Head of Legal. This is a hybrid role at the intersection of product counseling and commercial negotiation. You will serve as the primary legal partner to Docker's Product Management and Engineering teams across the full product lifecycle—from concept and design through launch, monetization, and end of life—while also assisting with negotiating the commercial provisions that bring those products to market. Your subject matter depth in open source software licensing and cloud services will directly impact how Docker builds, licenses, and delivers its products to millions of developers and thousands of enterprise customers worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Serve as embedded product counsel to Docker's Product Managers and Engineering teams, providing pragmatic, business-oriented advice on new products, features, pricing and packaging changes, Early Access and beta programs, and end-of-life decisions.
• Advise on open source software matters, including license analysis and compatibility (Apache, MIT, BSD, GPL, LGPL, AGPL, and source-available licenses), inbound and outbound OSS usage, contribution and CLA policies, and compliance obligations across Docker's products and distribution channels.
• Draft and maintain Docker's product-facing legal terms, including service-specific terms, subscription and licensing agreements, Early Access and beta terms, fair use and acceptable use policies, and documentation supporting new monetization models.
• Structure and negotiate commercial provisions in customer and partner agreements relating to product licensing, cloud services, hybrid on-premise and SaaS deployments, IP ownership, indemnification, warranties, and support commitments, in partnership with Sales and Deal Desk.
• Counsel on AI-enabled product features, including training data provenance, output ownership, third-party model licensing, and evolving AI regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with GRC on the intersection of product design and regulatory obligations, including software supply chain security expectations and emerging regimes such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
• Support IP strategy, including trademark usage guidelines, brand protection in product and marketing contexts, and coordination with outside counsel on IP matters.
• Monitor and analyze legal and regulatory developments affecting developer tools, open source, cloud services, and AI, advising the organization on necessary updates and adjustments.
• Help build scalable playbooks, templates, and self-service resources that allow Product and GTM teams to move quickly within well-defined guardrails.

What to expect

First 30 days

• Meet with the Head of Legal to understand Docker's product, licensing, and IP vision.
• Read Docker's product terms, subscription agreements, and OSS policies.
• Read Docker's Legal, Products, and security-related Notion pages.
• Become familiar with Docker's product portfolio, licensing models, and distribution channels.
• Forge relationships with Docker's Product Management, Engineering, GRC, Deal Desk, and Sales teams.
• Begin reviewing product feature launches and customer requests for product-related commercial terms.

First 90 days

• Take ownership of the legal review process for new product and feature launches.
• Establish a formalized intake and review cadence with Product Management for roadmap items with legal implications.
• Deliver a fact and data-driven assessment of Docker's product terms and OSS compliance posture with a 6-month and 12-month improvement roadmap.
• Lead the negotiation of product and licensing provisions in active customer and partner deals as assigned by the Head of Legal.
• Collaborate with Docker counsel on customer contractual requests relating to licensing, IP, and cloud services and provide feedback.
• Become familiar with Docker's Compliance program and controls.

First year

• Maintain an appropriate meeting cadence with Docker's Product Management, Engineering, GRC, Deal Desk, and Sales teams.
• Provide a monthly update report to the Head of Legal for eStaff updates.
• Build and deploy playbooks and templates that streamline product legal review and commercial negotiations to meet the demands of domestic and international growth.
• Build the brand of the product legal function as a trusted partner, industry leader, and facilitator of Docker's growth and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar.
• 6+ years of relevant legal experience, with a meaningful portion in-house at a software, cloud, or developer tools company; a combination of law firm and in-house experience is ideal.
• Deep familiarity with open source software licensing, including copyleft and permissive license regimes, license compatibility analysis, and OSS program governance.
• Hands-on experience drafting and negotiating SaaS, software licensing, and cloud services agreements, including enterprise customer negotiations of IP, indemnity, and liability provisions.
• Working technical fluency with developer software concepts such as virtual containers, registries, CI/CD, APIs, and software supply chain security; direct familiarity with Docker's products or comparable developer platforms is a strong plus.
• Understanding of AI and LLM legal issues, including model licensing, training data, and applicable regulatory frameworks such as the EU AI Act.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for Product Managers and Engineers.
• Sound, risk-calibrated judgment and a bias toward practical solutions that enable the business.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment and to manage competing priorities independently.
• Ability to collaborate with diverse teams and build strong working relationships.

Pay

United States: $178,500–$255,000 + equity

Benefits

• Freedom & flexibility; fit your work around your life
• Designated quarterly Whaleness Days plus end-of-year Whaleness break
• Home office setup; we want you comfortable while you work
• 16 weeks of paid Parental leave (after 6 months of employment)
• Technology stipend equivalent to $100 USD net/month
• PTO plan that encourages you to take time to do the things you enjoy
• Training stipend for conferences, courses, and classes
• Equity; we are a growing start-up and want all employees to have a share in the success of the company
• Docker Swag
• Medical benefits, retirement, and holidays vary by country