Senior Legal Counsel - Contracts Center of Excellence

Job Description:

Senior Legal Counsel - Contracts Center of Excellence

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career. 

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As a Senior Legal Counsel – Contracts Center of Excellence, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative people around the world. Here, you will make an impact by: 

• Draft, review, and negotiate complex intellectual property agreements, including technology development, licensing, confidentiality, joint development, collaboration, data, software, and other innovation-related agreements.
• Provide legal support for a broad range of transactional matters, including information technology, procurement, supply chain, services, outsourcing, and other commercial agreements.
• Advise business teams on intellectual property ownership, licensing, use restrictions, confidentiality, data rights, technology transfer, software, cybersecurity, and related contracting risks.
• Develop practical, business-oriented contracting strategies and risk mitigation approaches for transactions of significant complexity, strategic importance, or cross-functional impact.
• Perform legal and factual research, including analysis of contract terms, legal requirements, market practices, and internal contracting standards.
• Work independently on matters of significant complexity or importance while exercising sound legal judgment and escalating issues when appropriate.
• Provide legal services to medium to large complex businesses and collaborate with stakeholders across Legal Affairs, intellectual property, sourcing, IT, privacy, compliance, finance, and business teams.
• Lead transactional processes for matters of significant impact and/or complexity, including coordinating cross-functional reviews, resolving negotiation issues, and supporting timely execution.
• Serve as a subject matter resource in Intellectual Property contracting and licensing
• Support continuous improvement of contract templates, playbooks, clause libraries, negotiation guidance, and contracting processes within the Contracts Center of Excellence.

Your Skills and Expertise 

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start).
• Seven (7) years of law firm and/or in-house intellectual property experience in a private, public, government or military environment
• Juris Doctor degree (completed and verified prior to start).
• Member of a United States bar in good standing

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited university in math, physics, engineering,  science, IT, or equivalent experience
• Knowledge and experience with AI tools and technologies including contracting technologies
• Business acumen and an ability to provide legal advice in the context of strategic business initiatives and goals
• Highly effective written and verbal communications skills, with an ability to communicate and relate at all levels of the organization including business line leaders, regional heads and senior management
• Results-orientated approach; personal and organizational accountability; and a collegial work style
• High energy and a dedication to responsive client service

Work location:

• Work location: This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week at the 3M Center in Maplewood, MN. 

Travel: May include up to Up to 15% domestic/international

Relocation Assistance: Is not authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Supporting Your Well-being 

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. 

Chat with Max

For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.

Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $188,251 - $230,084, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.

Good Faith Posting Date Range 08/17/2026 To 09/16/2026 Or until filled

All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.

Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.

Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/

3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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