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Mary E. Snapp is Corporate Vice President of Microsoft's Law and Corporate Affairs department. Snapp manages 70 lawyers and paralegals who provide broad-based legal support for the design, development, and marketing of Windows, server applications, developer tools, mobility products, and the OEM sales channel. As part of these responsibilities, Snapp oversees Microsoft's compliance with the government antitrust decree and leads her departments efforts to provide legal and strategic support for critical and emerging business priorities.
Since joining Microsoft in 1988, Snapp has risen through the company's legal ranks, from corporate attorney to her current position. She has provided legal oversight for a broad range of Microsoft groups, including the Retail Sales and Marketing, Tools and Office groups. She also has provided legal support during acquisitions and for key partnerships and new business developments, played a supporting role during several legal cases and mediations, and established "go-to" legal-resource materials for the company.
Before joining Microsoft, Snapp was an associate attorney at what is now the Preston, Gates & Ellis law firm in Seattle, where she also served as an active member of the firms recruiting committee. She also was a traveling lecturer, staff writer and policy analyst for General Motors Corporation.
Snapp is a member of the governing committee for the American Bar Associations (ABA) Communications Law Forum, and frequently speaks on privacy, copyright and licensing issues at annual ABA gatherings. Her background as a speaker also includes an annual engagement with the Practicing Law Institutes Communications Law Conference in New York, as well as presentations at the Harvard University Business School and University of Michigan Law School.
Snapp's long roster of philanthropic activities includes membership on the boards of directors for the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, King County-Snohomish County YWCA, Artist Trust and ArtsFund. She has also served on the boards of directors for Food Lifeline and The Ryther Child Center. She has volunteered as a legal representative for abused and neglected foster children in King County, Washington, and as a respite care provider to foster parents and children through Catholic Community Services.
Snapp holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan, where she served as articles editor for the schools Journal of International Law. She also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Wayne State University and a Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism from the University of Kansas, where she was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society for high scholarship. | 