Commercial Lawyer
Cleary Gottlieb seeks an experienced SaaS commercial attorney to join our in-house global Risk team.
The Commercial Attorney will work closely with the Assistant General Counsel (Commercial) to own the drafting, negotiating and advising on a high volume of deals with a wide variety of firm vendors, with a specific emphasis on software-as-a-service (SaaS) and technology-related contracts. You will negotiate agreements, thoughtfully reduce risk in the firm’s contracts, provide legal counsel to the firm’s professional staff, and collaborate closely with other departments, including working closely with the Procurement, Innovation, Information Security teams. The role demands strong commercial awareness and expertise in data protection and intellectual property law.
Responsibilities
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial contracts (including SaaS subscription agreements, licensing agreements, data protection agreements (DPAs), NDAs, Master Services Agreements and professional/vendor services agreements).
- Ensure all contracts and business practices comply with relevant laws and regulations, including data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA, as well as new legislation like the EU AI Act.
- Partner closely with procurement and other lawyers on the global Risk team to help drive and execute the Firm’s contracting strategy.
- Create and support best practices for efficient procurement, vendor management, and contracting operations, including templates, guidelines, and policies.
- Collaborate with and advise business partners and internal stakeholders across the firm, including working closely with the Procurement, Innovation, Information Security teams.
Skills and Competencies
- Requires experience and passion for drafting and negotiating contracts. Strong communication skills (written and verbal) and excellent client-facing and interpersonal skills a must.
- Must possess strict attention to detail and be accustomed to working to very high standards of accuracy and efficiency, coupled with strong project management skills and the ability to effectively manage priorities in a fast-paced and rapidly-evolving environment.
- Requires great judgment, ability to make risk-based assessments and capability of solving problems and making smart decisions in the face of ambiguity and imperfect information.
- Must possess willingness to jump in and do whatever needs to be done in an enthusiastic, proactive and resourceful manner, and a strong work ethic with a high degree of accountability and organization.
Education and Experience
- Qualified lawyer (England & Wales or other common law jurisdiction). Ideally, candidates will have at least five years’ of commercial contract experience, with a strong focus on technology, IT, and SaaS contracts, preferably in a law firm or corporate legal department environment.
- Experience with international contracts and cross-border legal issues is often desirable.
- Enthusiasm for drafting and negotiating contracts, with strong written and verbal communication skills and excellent interpersonal abilities.
- Exceptional commercial sensibilities. Keen attention to detail with commitment to high standards of accuracy and efficiency, strong project management capabilities, and ability to effectively prioritize a high-volume portfolio in a fast-paced environment.
- Able to translate complex legal issues into clear, pragmatic advice for non-legal stakeholders.
- Proactive, resourceful approach with strong work ethic, high degree of accountability, and excellent organizational skills.
- A positive, collaborative demeanor with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
- Familiarity with privacy and security terms (GDPR, CCPA, etc.).
- Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and legal technology tools.
- Experience with international commercial agreements and multi-jurisdictional contracting issues.
If you are interested in applying, please submit a CV and short cover letter to the London Human Resources Team, LON-HR@cgsh.com.