Associate Attorney

Overview

The organization is seeking an Associate Attorney to join its in-house legal team, reporting to the Legal Directors. This role supports the legal department’s contract and engagement workflow, including intake, drafting/reviewing client and commercial agreements, and providing day-to-day legal guidance to firm leadership.

Responsibilities

• Review and negotiate client engagement letters based on the firm’s templates, identifying professional services risk issues and advising professionals on acceptable positions and fallback language.
• Draft, review, and negotiate NDAs, including confidentiality and third-party access agreements.
• Respond to RFPs by reviewing legal and contractual requirements, completing legal sections, and coordinating with business teams.
• Manage and organize the legal department’s Smartsheet intake process, including triaging, assigning, tracking requests, and maintaining accurate records.
• Review and negotiate MSAs, business associate agreements (BAAs), subcontractor agreements, government contracts, and other commercial contracts, identifying risks and recommending revisions.
• Provide legal support and guidance to the firm’s directors on contract and engagement-related matters, escalating complex issues to the Legal Directors as appropriate.
• Assist with maintaining and improving contract templates, playbooks, and process documentation.
• Implement and understand Artificial Intelligence tools and platforms, including leveraging use cases to increase efficiencies.

Basic Qualifications

• J.D. degree with current bar admission.
• 3 or more years of post-law school experience in contract drafting, review, and negotiation.
• Ability to independently review, respond to, and negotiate commercial agreements, including MSAs, BAAs, subcontractor agreements, and government contracts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, including experience with engagement letters, NDAs, and MSAs.
• Clear, confident communicator with the ability to advise internal professionals and engage effectively with clients, counterparties, and outside counsel.
• Ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; comfort using workflow tools such as Smartsheet.
• Familiarity with HIPAA and data privacy requirements as they relate to BAAs.
• Ability to spot and escalate legal and risk issues specific to professional services engagements, including professional liability exposure.
• Ability to identify, explain, and balance business and legal risks.

Compensation & Benefits

• Merit-based employer.

Location

• Baton Rouge