Legal Counsel, Intellectual Property (Content) 12 month FTC

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 Sydney campus is uniquely Canva - an extension of our Surry Hills neighbourhood. It’s a thoughtfully designed space with plenty of room to collaborate, focus, and connect.

This role is based in Sydney, and we’re looking for someone who calls it home. Our hybrid way of working gives you the flexibility to work remotely, and to come together on campus for meaningful in-person collaboration and connection when it matters most. We trust our Canvanauts to choose the balance that empowers them and their team to achieve their goals.

Please note that this is a 12 month FTC and you’ll need to be currently based in Sydney or Melbourne to be considered 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 Legal Counsel to join our Intellectual Property & Litigation team on a 12-month fixed-term contract. 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 support Canva’s content licensing and marketing campaign work, with a focus on content licenses (e.g. for graphics, photography, video and music), marketing, influencers, and UGC. You’ll also support with IP-related aspects of AI as part of an AI-native legal team, and partner closely with our Content & Discovery and Marketing teams on their missions to empower the world to design with the best content and to make Canva the most loved brand in the world. You’ll offer pragmatic legal advice while managing IP risk and supporting Canva’s continued growth.

At the moment, this role is focused on:

• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements for visual content and music licensing, brand partnerships, and talent and influencer engagements
• Review and advise on copy and content for brand marketing campaigns across television, radio, OOH and social, and support across major events like Canva Create
• Partner with our Product & Privacy Legal Team to review product marketing
• Advise on user-generated content (UGC) initiatives
• Support IP training and awareness initiatives
• Advise on other IP issues as required, including the use of AI technologies

You're probably a match if

• 3-5 years of post-qualification experience, ideally with a strong background in intellectual property, particularly copyright
• An understanding of copyright and other IP issues relating to generative AI, alongside familiarity with broader AI concepts
• Experience drafting and reviewing contracts
• A practical, business-oriented approach to legal advice, balancing legal risk and commercial outcomes
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly and succinctly to non-legal stakeholders
• A collaborative mindset and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Confidence using and learning new technology, including AI tools such as Claude and Chat GPT, and workplace tools such as Canva, Jira, Google Workspace, and Slack

We'd also love if you had:

• In-house experience
• Experience in music, film, television or other creative industries
• Experience advising on AI products or partnerships, including training data and AI-generated content
• Familiarity with open-source software and open-content licenses, such as MIT, Apache and Creative Commons
• Experience advising a SaaS or other technology company

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?

• An annual Vibe & Thrive allowance to support your wellbeing, social connection, office setup, and more
• Flexible leave options that empower you to be a force for good, take time to recharge, and support you personally
• Virtual, hybrid, and in-person work options to suit you and your team

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.