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Salary: USD 335,000 - 385,000 / annual
Anthropic is hiring a Commercial Counsel, Hardware to support the company's product teams as they navigate the intersection of AI and hardware. Hardware is becoming critical to AI development, and the legal landscape is evolving rapidly alongside the technology.
In this role, you will be the legal and risk partner that technical and business leaders rely on for fast, practical guidance on deals and procurement decisions. You'll negotiate a high volume of fast-moving agreements for hardware, components, software, and emerging technology procurement. You'll also lead complex, often precedent-setting technology, data, and partnership deals across the organization.
Key responsibilities include:
- Negotiating and closing high-volume agreements for hardware and components, including review of embedded firmware and companion software licenses
- Structuring and negotiating complex technology, data, and partnership agreements
- Tracking legal and regulatory changes affecting hardware products and components (product safety, foreign-made component restrictions, etc.) and communicating implications to the business
- Identifying trade, export control, sanctions, and supply chain concerns in cross-border sourcing, working with national security and compliance teams to resolve them
- Building and maintaining self-serve guidance, templates, and AI-assisted review tools to enable routine purchases without Legal bottlenecks
- Managing outside counsel for specialist questions and overflow volume
- Supporting other technology and hardware transactions across the Legal team as needed
You'll work alongside Procurement, Finance, and Legal colleagues in areas like privacy, IP, and trade compliance. You'll also support partnerships with major tech companies, universities, and media organizations, giving you visibility across much of the business.
The role requires at least 3 days per week in the San Francisco office, though flexibility for interim periods is considered.
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum qualifications:
- JD and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar (California preferred)
- Hands-on experience buying hardware, firmware, components, and software in high volume, fast-paced environments
- Deep experience leading complex deals such as technology or data licensing, joint development, or supply partnerships
- Working knowledge of international supply chains and how sourcing choices and associated risks appear in contracts (lead times, single-source risk, warranties, country of origin, higher-risk jurisdictions)
- Working knowledge of trade and regulatory compliance for hardware, including export controls, sanctions, tariffs, and customs
- Clear, plain communication with scientists, engineers, and operators to translate legal risk into actionable decisions
- Low-ego, "doer" attitude with genuine interest in work outside your core practice area
- Intense curiosity about AI and emerging hardware, with commitment to responsible AI development
Preferred qualifications:
- At least 8 years of legal experience in hardware or closely related technical space, with judgment to run risk assessments and deals independently from day one
- In-house time at a hardware-intensive technology company (electronics, industrial automation, complex devices) during rapid scaling
- Experience supporting product or engineering teams as dedicated counsel
- Experience with facilities or on-site vendor services, including insurance and safety questions
- Engineering, product, or other technical background
- Experience using AI tools to accelerate legal work
