Commercial Counsel, Colo & Networks

About the Role

As a Commercial Counsel for Colo and Networks at Anthropic, you'll lead legal execution for the distributed component of Anthropic's compute strategy (colocation agreements, network connectivity / infrastructure, and datacenter services). You'll work closely with Anthropic’s compute transaction managers to secure capacity through third-party facilities and emerging providers, complementing our hyperscaler relationships and direct datacenter development workstreams.

Responsibilities:

• Negotiate colocation and services agreements for distributed capacity across multiple facilities, supporting initiatives requiring rapid capacity deployment
• Structure neocloud capacity arrangements with emerging providers, and deals that often involve novel commercial structures including capacity reservation, utilization commitments, and hybrid provider-customer service relationships
• Manage network and interconnection agreements including fiber, transit contracts, IP peering arrangements, and related infrastructure; negotiate large load electric power contracts and utility interconnection agreements where applicable
• Build relationships and oversee outside counsel teams on high-volume transactions or matters requiring specialized expertise
• Develop and maintain term sheet templates, runbooks, and precedent documents for recurring colo and network transaction types
• Work closely with compute team’s transaction managers (who handle operational project management) to provide legal support and assessments
• Manage novel commercial structures, high-risk terms, or precedent-setting provisions to managers for strategic direction, escalating where necessary
• Support cross-functional coordination with finance, corporate development, and other legal workstreams where the transactions intersect with broader compute strategy

You might be a good fit if you have:

• JD and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar
• At least 8 years of relevant legal experience meaningful exposure to colocation, interconnection, or telecommunications agreements
• Experience negotiating colocation MSAs, interconnection agreements, or fiber/transit contracts; you understand how power requirements, security levels, network connectivity, and expansion options drive contract terms
• Demonstrated ability to handle transaction volume at quality while recognizing when non-standard terms require escalation
• Technical fluency sufficient to engage intelligently with infrastructure stakeholders about capacity requirements, connectivity specifications, facility standards, and sustainability requirements
• Comfort with emerging provider relationships where counterparty sophistication and financial stability vary significantly; strong judgment about when to push for favorable terms versus when to accept market-standard positions
• Ability to work effectively with outside counsel, providing clear direction while leveraging their specialized expertise
• Strong communication skills that translate technical infrastructure concepts into clear risk assessments for our business
• Genuine interest in compute infrastructure and appreciation for why capacity access is mission-critical for frontier AI development

Strong candidates may have:

• In-house experience at datacenter providers or network infrastructure companies
• Background at large technology companies with significant datacenter or colocation footprints supporting facilities and network procurement
• Law firm experience at practices with infrastructure or telecom specialization, or regional firms with strong utilities/telecom work
• Experience on the buy-side of connectivity and colo relationships at telecom or cloud provider legal teams; familiarity with procuring connectivity linking data centers to terrestrial fiber, subsea cables, and satellite networks
• Familiarity with emerging neocloud provider business models and the unique commercial structures they require
• Prior involvement in capacity procurement transactions where speed-to-signature was critical to securing supply

Role-specific policy: For this role, we expect staff to be able to work from our San Francisco or New York office at least 3 days a week, though we encourage you to apply even if you might need some flexibility for an interim period of time.