Legal Counsel

Persons in these roles are expected to work from our offices in Seattle. On-site requirements vary based on position and team. If you have questions about on-site work arrangements for this role, please ask your recruiter. Our base salary range is $175,000 - $225,000, and in addition we have generous bonus plans to provide a competitive compensation package. Who You Are: You are an agile and critical thinker who is energized by creative problem solving and building things. You thrive in ambiguity and working in dynamic environments. You enjoy learning and navigating novel and complex legal issues at the forefront of AI research and development. You are able to listen to a team’s business needs, identify priorities, and reconcile gaps between legal and technical requirements. You build relationships across the organization to maximize business results. You are able to juggle competing demands from many interested and energetic stakeholders. You love an aggressive deadline and relish an unexpected twist. Please submit your application by April 30, 2026 to be considered for this role. We will start the application review process in early May 2026, followed by interviews. Who We Are: We are an existing legal team of three lawyers and one contracts and procurement manager. We are collegial and collaborative. We like to make up fun project names for our strategic initiatives. We work in a hybrid setting that includes a beautiful new office on Lake Union. We like in-person whiteboard sessions. We all work with a large amount of autonomy. As a team, we are slightly more pro-dog than pro-cat. We are passionate about Ai2’s mission. Your Next Challenge: This is a rare and unique opportunity to be fully immersed in truly open and cutting-edge AI research. The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following: Support all stages of development for open AI artifacts and technologies, including data curation, model training, release planning, and post-release management. Provide direct AI counseling for applications, research demos, scientific agents, and environmental and conservation tools, including diligence, data governance, and bridging legal and technical requirements. Review and prepare data licenses, open source licenses, and related documentation. Create and improve frameworks for responsible AI development and processes to streamline AI releases. Create AI development guides, playbooks, and templates for releasing AI resources and artifacts. Exercise sound judgment and provide strategic and practical legal guidance that balances business priorities, nonprofit mission, compliance, and evolving AI policies and regulation. Provide support and due diligence across Ai2’s charitable, scientific, and educational activities and ensure that they are conducted within appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks. Collaborate and coach others across the organization on areas of expertise to drive success and impact. What You’ll Need: Education/Certifications: Minimum Degree required: JD Licensed to practice law in Washington State Required: 6+ years of technology transactions experience in a law firm or equivalent corporate environment. Experience with copyright and IP licensing. Experience with data governance and privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, and/or HIPAA, and other international regulations like EU AI Act. Excellent presentation and facilitation skills: polished, concise, catered messages to different audiences. Self-starter: Does not need daily directions or close supervision to make decisions. Start-up mentality: adaptable, can pivot quickly. Skilled in working with ambiguity: comfortable identifying and solving for novel risks. Ability to adjust rapidly to new strategies and approaches for building support in a fast-moving environment. Ability to work on complex issues where problems are not clearly defined and where fundamental principles do not fully apply. Sufficient technical experience to communicate effectively wit…