Senior Corporate Counsel, M&A and Corporate

Company Description

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks® everything starts and ends with our mission:

Being the cybersecurity partner of choice, protecting our digital way of life.

Our vision is a world where each day is safer and more secure than the one before. We are a company built on the foundation of challenging and disrupting the way things are done, and we’re looking for innovators who are as committed to shaping the future of cybersecurity as we are.

Our Approach to Work

We lead with flexibility and choice in all of our people programs. We have disrupted the traditional view that all employees have the same needs and wants. We offer personalization and offer our employees the opportunity to choose what works best for them as often as possible - from your wellbeing support to your growth and development, and beyond!

At Palo Alto Networks, we believe in the power of collaboration and value in-person interactions. This is why our employees generally work from the office three days per week, leaving two days for choice and flexibility to work where you feel most effective. This setup fosters casual conversations, problem-solving, and trusted relationships. While details may evolve, our goal is to create an environment where innovation thrives, with office-based teams coming together three days a week to collaborate and thrive, together!

Job Description

Your Career

Join a dynamic legal team and work on M&A as well as a range of corporate and securities law matters. You will be part of a fast-moving, collaborative legal team working on important strategic matters impacting Palo Alto Networks’ future and growth. You will work closely with your primary stakeholders, including Corporate Development, Finance, Accounting, Treasury, and Investor Relations, while being an important resource for your colleagues on a global basis. This position will be an in-office position located in Santa Clara, CA and report to a senior member of the legal team.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is intellectually curious, creative, and able to operate independently in identifying and resolving legal and business issues that arise in the context of the company’s strategic goals and risk thresholds. Our ideal candidate is also diplomatic, assertive and able to provide crisp, timely and practical legal advice with a solution-oriented mindset, while working well under pressure and in stressful situations.

Your Impact

• Work closely with the Corporate Development team and other key company stakeholders to successfully implement Palo Alto Networks’ strategic vision through the structuring, diligence, negotiation, conclusion and integration of complex strategic transactions, including M&A and investment activity
• Support in connection with corporate governance, the board of directors, executive compensation, capital markets, and other related corporate legal matters
• Support in the preparation and review of the company’s SEC filings, including current and periodic reports, proxy statements, registration statements and Section 16 filings
• Support in the drafting and review of corporate communications and public disclosures
• Help to mature, improve, build and maintain the company’s standard form legal documentation for strategic transactions, policies and processes with scalable frameworks
• Develop strong working relationships across the company with cross-functional stakeholders, including in Corporate Development, Accounting, Finance, Global Equity, HR, Investor Relations, Tax, and Treasury
• Support the management of outside counsel on a variety of matters, as needed
• Handle and support special projects as requested

Qualifications

Your Experience

• Must be an attorney admitted to the bar in at least one U.S. state (CA or NY preferred), and have a law degree from an ABA accredited law school or equivalent military experience
• A minimum of 6 years of strong M&A and/or corporate and securities law experience with a law firm - in-house experience is a plus (but not required)
• Experience with software, technology and/or cybersecurity companies is preferred
• Experience in playing a leading role in M&A transactions
• Experience in playing a role in reviewing and assisting in the preparation of public company SEC filings
• Experience advising on public company governance-related matters is a plus
• Working knowledge of executive compensation arrangements and equity plans is a plus
• Working knowledge of shareholder activism and corporate preparedness is a plus
• Ability to effectively communicate with senior management, explain complicated concepts in simple terms, and lead with influence with cross-functional teams a