Principal Corporate Counsel at Cisco in Washington, DC

Principal Corporate Counsel Location: McLean, Virginia, US The application window is expected to close on: 05/29/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received. Members of the Legal organization at select locations will generally be expected to follow a hybrid work model, which includes two days of in-office attendance each week, with limited exceptions. Location: Washington, DC metro area Cisco is looking for a motivated attorney to join the US Public Sector Sales Legal Team (USPS Sales Legal). The USPS Sales Legalteam provides strategic legal advice and counsel supporting all sales engagements with US state, local and federal governments. It’s staffed with eight legal professionals and is part of the larger America’s Legal Sales Team. This role will provide direct support to Cisco’s largest single customer – the US Government. Your Impact Drive Business Growth:Partner with senior leadership to execute federal deals and develop policies that enable the business while mitigating risk. Provide Expert Counsel:Navigate the complexities of U.S. Government legal, compliance, and national security regulations. Lead & Mentor:Act as a subject matter expert and mentor for the US Public Sector Legal Team, fostering professional growth. Engage Stakeholders:Maintain a mature legal presence while interfacing with Cisco executives, technical experts, and U.S. Government agencies. Minimum Qualifications Law degree from an accredited law school and admission to and in good standing with the state bar of at least one U.S. State 10+ total years of experience as a practicing attorney with 6+ years gained in-house, at a government agency or law firm supporting government transactions and government compliance and operations. Experience in supporting complex enterprises sales or government agency procurement/acquisition of IT products and professional services to the Federal government. Knowledge and experience with FAR/DFARs, commercial item procurement, review/proposal/awards, GWACs, Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), and other unique US Government contracts and requirements, including cybersecurity, ITAR, Trade Agreements Act, and national security compliance.Knowledge and practical experience in Federal Rules of Ethics. U.S. Citizenship, aTop Secret National Security Clearance or the ability to apply for one after hire and be located in the Washington metropolitan DC area. Preferred Qualifications Provide expert legal advice and guidance on all aspects of federal government contracting, including interpretation and application of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and other agency-specific regulations, as well as Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and other relevant federal cybersecurity AI related mandates. Ability to identify and assess legal risks and develop strategies for mitigation. Draft, review, and negotiate prime government contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, and other related transactional documents.Advise on contract compliance, including socioeconomic programs (e.g., small business subcontracting), labor standards, Buy American Act, and other statutory and regulatory requirements. Manage and advise on contract disputes, claims, bid protests, and litigation, working closely with internal teams and outside counsel.Provide counsel on contract performance issues, including delivery, acceptance, payment, and warranty matters. Counsel on the handling of classified information and personnel security clearances. Provide strategic legal advice and counsel to senior management, business units, and cross-functional teams on a wide range of legal matters.Assist in the development and review of company policies and procedures.Collaborate with business development, engineering, finance, HR, and other departments to support business objectives and ensure legal compliance. Develop, implement, and maintain corporate legal policies, procedures, and compliance programs. Why Cisco? At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere. We are Cisco, and our power starts with you. Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada: The starting salary range posted for this position is $202,200.00 to $256,000.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process. U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks.  Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time. U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies: 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations) 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco’s policies. Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows: .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota; 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%; 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation. For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid. The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below: New York City Metro Area: $221,300.00 - $331,000.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $202,200.00 - $294,400.00 * For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined. ** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements. Additional Locations: Annapolis Junction, Maryland, US, Arlington, Virginia, US, Washington, District of Columbia, US, Ashburn, Virginia, US