Legal Counsel – Regulatory Compliance, Product and Privacy

About the role

Canonical is seeking a Legal Counsel to lead regulatory compliance, product, and privacy initiatives. The role is home‑based within EMEA or the Americas, with optional access to the London office.

Key responsibilities

• Draft and review corporate policies, drive process change and implement controls to meet global regulatory requirements.
• Develop, maintain and scale global privacy programmes, including conducting PIAs and ROPAs.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to assess the impact of privacy and data‑protection laws, including emerging AI regulations.
• Provide legal support to internal clients, especially product teams, and coordinate with local counsel worldwide.

Required profile

• Outstanding academic record from high school through university.
• Law degree (JD or equivalent) with an active licence to practice or progress toward one.
• Professional written and spoken English with strong drafting and presentation abilities.
• Ability to travel twice a year for company events (up to two weeks).

Required skills

• Experience in compliance, data privacy, or product development (nice‑to‑have).
• Leadership and influencing skills to promote new ideas or practices.
• Understanding of open‑source software community values and the broader technology industry.
• Experience working in an in‑house legal team or law firm.