Legal Services Strategy Lead

Microsoft’s Legal Operations team is looking for a Director of Business Management to lead Microsoft’s law firm strategy and engagement program. This is a critical role at a pivotal moment, as AI continues to disrupt the legal industry while generating new opportunities. Success in the role will require working across Microsoft’s Corporate, External and Legal Affairs (CELA) organization, along with our outside counsel and legal services partners, to redefine standards and expectations around AI use, value, and transparency. The role will also require external engagement and thought leadership on AI transformation in the legal services industry. This is a rare opportunity to shape how one of the world's largest legal departments works with outside counsel in the AI era. 

This is an individual contributor role with significant influence over, and accountability for, strategy and decision making but no people management responsibilities.  

1. Reimagine the Provision of Legal Services for the AI Era 

Optimize how CELA manages its outside counsel lifecycle in response to AI-driven industry changes. Co-develop AI delivery models with strategic partners, including shared tooling, joint workflow integration, and automation. Establish CELA as a leader in the marketplace for AI-enabled legal services, including representing Microsoft in industry forums, working groups, and external discussions. 

2. Establish AI Readiness as a Core Capability 

Redesign Microsoft’s legal procurement and selection frameworks to evaluate AI readiness. Develop AI scorecard metrics for outside counsel — covering cycle-time reduction, AI work patterns, quality gains, and value measures. Accelerate the concentration of work with firms demonstrating AI-driven results.  

3. Modernize Outside Counsel Guidelines  

Lead a comprehensive refresh of CELA's engagement terms to address AI-specific opportunities and challenges. Identify and resolve high-impact issues around AI use, data handling, billing transparency, and staffing with senior stakeholders across CELA and their law firm partners. Ensure that legal service models uphold Microsoft’s standards for ethics, privilege protection, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance. 

4. Evolve Microsoft’s Strategic Partnership Program (SPP) 

Redesign Microsoft’s Strategic Partner Program, including governance, selection criteria, and relationship management. Establish feedback loops, progress reviews, and program health KPIs that align with Microsoft’s internal strategy. Identify, onboard, and deepen relationships with the next generation of Microsoft’s “strategic partners.” 

5. Strategic Advice and Negotiations 

Provide CELA leadership with data-driven, forward-looking insights on program health, partner performance, spend trends, rate/value trade-offs, and strategic sourcing decisions. Serve as Microsoft’s expert on outside counsel engagement, advising on trends and strategy based on benchmark rates and industry standards.  Lead the execution of law firm rate agreements. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 8+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement
  • OR equivalent experience. 

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in or adjacent to the legal industry, with significant time in a law firm or legal operations function at a large, multi-national company, including experience managing domestic and international law firms.
• Substantive outside counsel management experience and industry knowledge, including negotiations, engagement, onboarding, and billing, with a strong understanding of the market for the delivery of legal services, including law firms’ economic models and incentive structures.
• Understanding of how AI and technology are changing the legal services industry, including familiarity with changes and opportunities around billing models, value measurement, and governance frameworks. Experience evaluating and/or implementing legal technology, with a focus on AI.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, in good standing.

  Experience using advanced AI tools and applications to generate value in the creation and delivery of legal services.  

• Strong familiarity with legal operations tools and provide