Associate Attorney

Overview

The organization is seeking an Associate Attorney to join its in-house legal team and report to the Legal Directors. This role involves reviewing and negotiating client engagement letters, handling NDAs and access letters, responding to RFPs, managing the legal department intake process, reviewing commercial contracts (including MSAs, BAAs, subcontractor agreements, and government contracts), and providing day-to-day legal support to the Firm’s directors.

Preferred location: Baton Rouge

Responsibilities

• Review and negotiate client engagement letters using 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 the 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, draft, and negotiate MSAs, business associate agreements (BAAs), subcontractor agreements, government contracts, and other commercial contracts; identify risks and recommend 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 relevant use cases to increase efficiencies.

Requirements

• 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 and confident communicator who can 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 with workflow tools such as Smartsheet.
• Familiarity with HIPAA and data privacy requirements as they relate to BAAs (plus).
• 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 employment; specific compensation and benefits were not provided in the job description.

Location

Preferred location: Baton Rouge