Staff Product & Commercial Counsel

Docker

9d•$178,500 - $255,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Docker is seeking a Staff Product & Commercial Counsel to serve as the primary legal partner to Product Management and Engineering teams. This hybrid role involves providing legal counsel throughout the product lifecycle, from concept to end-of-life, and assisting with commercial negotiations. The role requires deep expertise in open source software licensing and cloud services to guide product development, licensing, and delivery. The position is crucial for achieving growth objectives while protecting intellectual property and managing risk. The counsel will be a core member of the Legal team, collaborating with various departments and having exposure to senior executives.

Requirements

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.
AI-Native work capability.
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.

Nice To Haves

Direct familiarity with Docker's products or comparable developer platforms is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as embedded product counsel to Product Managers and Engineering teams, providing pragmatic, business-oriented advice on new products, features, pricing, packaging changes, Early Access and beta programs, and end-of-life decisions.
Advise on open source software matters, including license analysis and compatibility, inbound and outbound OSS usage, contribution and CLA policies, and compliance obligations.
Draft and maintain 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 for 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.
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.
Support IP strategy, including trademark usage guidelines, brand protection, 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 for Product and GTM teams.

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