Associate General Counsel, Partnerships - Shopify

About the role

At Shopify, we're not just building software—we're revolutionizing how the world does business. And behind every game-changing platform feature, every major enterprise deal, every innovative partnership, and every merchant success story is our incredible Legal team, solving unprecedented challenges and paving new paths in the digital commerce landscape.The Team & OpportunityOur Commercial Legal team is where legal expertise meets entrepreneurial energy, and we're scaling fast. Right now, we're looking to hire for the critical area of Partnership Legal supporting our partnerships teams with integrations, APIs, and strategic alliances.Whether you're architecting API partnership frameworks, or tackling novel legal challenges in fintech and payments that literally don't have precedent, you'll be directly impacting how we bring commerce solutions to merchants worldwide and connect Shopify with the global ecosystem.What Unites Our WorkThis isn't typical legal work. You'll be:Strategic Building: Creating scalable frameworks, playbooks and templatesProblem-Solving: Tackling unprecedented legal challenges in commerce, fintech, and technology integrationsImpact-Driving: Your work directly enables millions of merchants to build their dreamsThe CultureWe're collaborative, curious, and committed to making commerce better for everyone. You'll work alongside brilliant legal minds and passionate business leaders who value both intellectual rigor and creative problem-solving.Success at Shopify requires intellect, humility, and a sense of humour (or humor if you're in the U.S.). We take our work seriously but never ourselves. Expect fast-paced intensity balanced with genuine care for each other, strategic thinking mixed with practical execution, and the kind of environment where your ideas can reshape how we do business.What You BringYou're someone who gets energized by ambiguity and thrives in the unknown. You've got strong commercial law experience with deep SaaS and technology expertise. Most importantly, you're someone who sees legal challenges as puzzles to solve, not obstacles to avoid.Core Requirements:J.D. or LL.B and license to practice in any common law province in Canada or any U.S. stateSubstantial experience drafting and negotiating complex legal agreements (SaaS, partnerships, licensing, API/SDK arrangements)Proven track record with technology-related commercial agreementsAbility to thrive in dynamic, entrepreneurial environmentsStrong collaboration skills and ability to build trust with business partnersKeen interest in creative legal problem-solving and researching novel areas of lawThe jobYou'll support our partnerships teams by negotiating strategic transactions and partnership agreements while identifying and mitigating critical legal risks.You'll focus on:Strategic partners including developers, sales channels, apps, and financial solutions partnersTechnology integrations with partners in financial solutions and payments spacesProjects for discovering Shopify merchants on third-party marketplaces worldwideDevelopment of applications by large partners (social media, aggregators) to allow merchant sales on these channelsAPI access agreements and developer ecosystem partnershipsBonus Experience Experience with financial solutions and paymentsPrivacy and data law expertiseIronclad or similar contract management platform experienceRegulatory or ecommerce law backgroundExperience in high-growth tech environmentsUse of AI tools in legal services deliveryReady to Help Us Make Commerce Better for Everyone?This is your chance to join a team that's literally reshaping global commerce, working on deals and challenges that push the boundaries of what's possible in legal and business innovation. We're looking for multiple brilliant lawyers who want to grow with us as we scale.At Shopify, we're not just building software—we're revolutionizing how the world does business. And behind every game-changing platform feature, every major enterprise deal, every innovative partnership, and every merchant success story is our incredible Legal team, solving unprecedented challenges and paving new paths in the digital commerce landscape.The Team & OpportunityOur Commercial Legal team is where legal expertise meets entrepreneurial energy, and we're scaling fast. Right now, we're looking to hire for the critical area of Partnership Legal supporting our partnerships teams with integrations, APIs, and strategic alliances.Whether you're architecting API partnership frameworks, or tackling novel legal challenges in fintech and payments that literally don't have precedent, you'll be directly impacting how we bring commerce solutions to merchants worldwide and connect Shopify with the global ecosystem.What Unites Our WorkThis isn't typical legal work. You'll be:Strategic Building: Creating scalable frameworks, playbooks and templatesProblem-Solving: Tackling unprecedented legal challenges in commerce, fintech, and technology integrationsImpact-Driving: Your work directly enables millions of merchants to build their dreamsThe CultureWe're collaborative, curious, and committed to making commerce better for everyone. You'll work alongside brilliant legal minds and passionate business leaders who value both intellectual rigor and creative problem-solving.Success at Shopify requires intellect, humility, and a sense of humour (or humor if you're in the U.S.). We take our work seriously but never ourselves. Expect fast-paced intensity balanced with genuine care for each other, strategic thinking mixed with practical execution, and the kind of environment where your ideas can reshape how we do business.What You BringYou're someone who gets energized by ambiguity and thrives in the unknown. You've got strong commercial law experience with deep SaaS and technology expertise. Most importantly, you're someone who sees legal challenges as puzzles to solve, not obstacles to avoid.Core Requirements:J.D. or LL.B and license to practice in any common law province in Canada or any U.S. stateSubstantial experience drafting and negotiating complex legal agreements (SaaS, partnerships, licensing, API/SDK arrangements)Proven track record with technology-related commercial agreementsAbility to thrive in dynamic, entrepreneurial environmentsStrong collaboration skills and ability to build trust with business partnersKeen interest in creative legal problem-solving and researching novel areas of lawThe jobYou'll support our partnerships teams by negotiating strategic transactions and partnership agreements while identifying and mitigating critical legal risks.You'll focus on:Strategic partners including developers, sales channels, apps, and financial solutions partnersTechnology integrations with partners in financial solutions and payments spacesProjects for discovering Shopify merchants on third-party marketplaces worldwideDevelopment of applications by large partners (social media, aggregators) to allow merchant sales on these channelsAPI access agreements and developer ecosystem partnershipsBonus Experience Experience with financial solutions and paymentsPrivacy and data law expertiseIronclad or similar contract management platform experienceRegulatory or ecommerce law backgroundExperience in high-growth tech environmentsUse of AI tools in legal services deliveryReady to Help Us Make Commerce Better for Everyone?This is your chance to join a team that's literally reshaping global commerce, working on deals and challenges that push the boundaries of what's possible in legal and business innovation. We're looking for multiple brilliant lawyers who want to grow with us as we scale.

At Shopify, we're not just building software—we're revolutionizing how the world does business. And behind every game-changing platform feature, every major enterprise deal, every innovative partnership, and every merchant success story is our incredible Legal team, solving unprecedented challenges and paving new paths in the digital commerce landscape.

The Team & Opportunity

The Team & Opportunity

Our Commercial Legal team is where legal expertise meets entrepreneurial energy, and we're scaling fast. Right now, we're looking to hire for the critical area of Partnership Legal supporting our partnerships teams with integrations, APIs, and strategic alliances.

Whether you're architecting API partnership frameworks, or tackling novel legal challenges in fintech and payments that literally don't have precedent, you'll be directly impacting how we bring commerce solutions to merchants worldwide and connect Shopify with the global ecosystem.

What Unites Our Work

What Unites Our Work

This isn't typical legal work. You'll be:

• Strategic Building: Creating scalable frameworks, playbooks and templates

Strategic Building: Creating scalable frameworks, playbooks and templates

• Problem-Solving: Tackling unprecedented legal challenges in commerce, fintech, and technology integrations

Problem-Solving: Tackling unprecedented legal challenges in commerce, fintech, and technology integrations

• Impact-Driving: Your work directly enables millions of merchants to build their dreams

Impact-Driving: Your work directly enables millions of merchants to build their dreams

The Culture

The Culture

We're collaborative, curious, and committed to making commerce better for everyone. You'll work alongside brilliant legal minds and passionate business leaders who value both intellectual rigor and creative problem-solving.

Success at Shopify requires intellect, humility, and a sense of humour (or humor if you're in the U.S.). We take our work seriously but never ourselves. Expect fast-paced intensity balanced with genuine care for each other, strategic thinking mixed with practical execution, and the kind of environment where your ideas can reshape how we do business.

What You Bring

What You Bring

You're someone who gets energized by ambiguity and thrives in the unknown. You've got strong commercial law experience with deep SaaS and technology expertise. Most importantly, you're someone who sees legal challenges as puzzles to solve, not obstacles to avoid.

Core Requirements:

• J.D. or LL.B and license to practice in any common law province in Canada or any U.S. state

J.D. or LL.B and license to practice in any common law province in Canada or any U.S. state

• Substantial experience drafting and negotiating complex legal agreements (SaaS, partnerships, licensing, API/SDK arrangements)

Substantial experience drafting and negotiating complex legal agreements (SaaS, partnerships, licensing, API/SDK arrangements)

• Proven track record with technology-related commercial agreements

Proven track record with technology-related commercial agreements

• Ability to thrive in dynamic, entrepreneurial environments

Ability to thrive in dynamic, entrepreneurial environments

• Strong collaboration skills and ability to build trust with business partners

Strong collaboration skills and ability to build trust with business partners

• Keen interest in creative legal problem-solving and researching novel areas of law

Keen interest in creative legal problem-solving and researching novel areas of law

The job

The job

You'll support our partnerships teams by negotiating strategic transactions and partnership agreements while identifying and mitigating critical legal risks.

You'll focus on:

• Strategic partners including developers, sales channels, apps, and financial solutions partners

Strategic partners including developers, sales channels, apps, and financial solutions partners

• Technology integrations with partners in financial solutions and payments spaces

Technology integrations with partners in financial solutions and payments spaces

• Projects for discovering Shopify merchants on third-party marketplaces worldwide

Projects for discovering Shopify merchants on third-party marketplaces worldwide

• Development of applications by large partners (social media, aggregators) to allow merchant sales on these channels

Development of applications by large partners (social media, aggregators) to allow merchant sales on these channels

• API access agreements and developer ecosystem partnerships

API access agreements and developer ecosystem partnerships

Bonus Experience

Bonus Experience

• Experience with financial solutions and payments

Experience with financial solutions and payments

• Privacy and data law expertise

Privacy and data law expertise

• Ironclad or similar contract management platform experience

Ironclad or similar contract management platform experience

• Regulatory or ecommerce law background

Regulatory or ecommerce law background

• Experience in high-growth tech environments

Experience in high-growth tech environments

• Use of AI tools in legal services delivery

Use of AI tools in legal services delivery

Ready to Help Us Make Commerce Better for Everyone?

Ready to Help Us Make Commerce Better for Everyone?

This is your chance to join a team that's literally reshaping global commerce, working on deals and challenges that push the boundaries of what's possible in legal and business innovation. We're looking for multiple brilliant lawyers who want to grow with us as we scale.