Senior Legal Counsel, Intellectual Property (Tech Transactions)
Canva· Computer Software· Oct 16, 2026 · 12d ago
San Francisco, CA, United States
Hybrid
Full-time
Senior
$190K–$280K
6+ years exp
Job description
Join the team redefining how the world experiences design.
Hello, g'day, mabuhay, kia ora, 你好, hallo, vítejte!
Thanks for stopping by. We know job hunting can be a little time consuming and you're probably keen to find out what's on offer, so we'll get straight to the point.
Where and how you can work
Our flagship office is in Sydney, Australia, but we've made our way from down under, to a hub in San Francisco, which is now home to our US operations. We offer flexibility in how and where you work. We trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals.
Please note you will need to be currently based in San Francisco for this role.
What you’d be doing in this role
As Canva scales change continues to be part of our DNA. But we like to think that's all part of the fun. So this will give you the flavour of the type of things you'll be working on when you start, but this will likely evolve.
We’re looking for a Senior Legal Counsel to join our Intellectual Property & Litigation team. This team is responsible for building and managing Canva’s global IP portfolios, providing strategic, risk-aware IP advice to product teams, acquiring and licensing creative content, software and AI technologies, and managing and resolving litigation and disputes across the globe.
In this role, you’ll negotiate a range of IP and technology transactions with a focus on inbound and outbound agreements involving AI models, software APIs and related technology, as well as content licenses (e.g. for graphics, photography, video and music), and provide advice on the integration of third party IP into Canva’s products. You’ll also support with IP-related aspects of other contracts, such as marketing, software license agreements and ecosystem partnerships. You’ll be a trusted partner to our business teams, helping them to move quickly while managing commercial risk.
At the moment, this role is focused on:
• Negotiating commercial contracts with a focus on inbound AI model provider agreements and content licenses
• Providing practical advice on IP risks and considerations arising from the integration of third party technologies, content and AI into our products
• Supporting the Commercial and Product & Privacy Legal team with IP-related aspects of other contracts
• Drafting IP-related terms and conditions for the Canva platform
• Providing advice on open source software licensing and assist with the management of Canva’s open source policies
• Advising on IP ownership and licensing in the context of intercompany arrangements, mergers & acquisitions
You're probably a match if
• Experience: 6-8 years PQE, ideally gained in a top-tier law firm or speciality in-house team with focus on tech, copyright, or broad contracts work.
• Tech transactions experience: Demonstrated experience gained in-house at a tech company or with a law firm
• Industry context: Comfort with the pace and ambiguity that comes with emerging tech and the ability to balance legal risks with business objectives
• Fluency in AI tools: Canva Legal is on a mission to become an AI Native Legal Team . It’s important that you’re comfortable with using AI tools to help us drive AI adoption and integration into our practices
• Communication skills: A skilled communicator who can translate complex legal concepts into practical solutions
Bonus Points
• Experience advising AI companies
• Familiarity with music or other content licensing
About the team
Canva is on a mission to empower the world to design, and the Canva Legal team plays a huge role in enabling that mission. We’re focused on protecting and supporting the growth of Canva by being strategic partners to our stakeholders across the company, helping them to achieve their goals.
That’s why when you join our Legal team, you’ll work on matters that matter. Most importantly, you’ll see the impact of your work and your contribution will be felt by Canvanauts and our growing community of over 260 million users across the world.
So pull up a chair. This is Legal like you’ve never experienced before.
What's in it for you?
Achieving our crazy big goals motivates us to work hard - and we do - but you'll experience lots of moments of magic, connectivity and fun woven throughout life at Canva, too. We also offer a range of benefits to set you up for every success in and outside of work.
Here's a taste of what's on offer:
• Equity packages - we want our success to be yours too
• Health benefits plans to support you and your wellbeing
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution
• Inclusive parental leave policy that supports all parents & carers
• An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, office setup & more
• Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge and supports you personally
Check out lifeatcanva.com for more info.
At Canva we value fairness, and we strive to provide competitive, market-informed compensation whilst ensuring internal equity within the team in each region. We make hiring decisions based on your skills, experience and our overall assessment of what we observed and learnt in the hiring process. The target salary range for this position is $190,000 - $280,000. When calculating offers, we make salary decisions based on market data and candidates' skills and experience.
Other stuff to know
We make hiring decisions based on your experience, skills and passion, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. When you apply, please tell us the pronouns you use and any reasonable adjustments you may need during the interview process.
We celebrate all types of skills and backgrounds at Canva so even if you don’t feel like your skills quite match what’s listed above - we still want to hear from you!
Please note that interviews are conducted virtually.
Application prep
Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.
Keywords to mirror
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Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
401(K)
Parental Leave