Associate Attorney

Overview

This role involves joining the organization’s in-house legal team as an Associate Attorney and reporting to the Legal Directors. Responsibilities include reviewing and negotiating client engagement letters and commercial agreements, handling NDAs and access letters, responding to RFPs, managing the legal intake process, and providing day-to-day legal support to firm directors.

Responsibilities

• Review and negotiate client engagement letters based on firm 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 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; identify risks and recommend revisions.
• Provide legal support and guidance to firm 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 develop understanding of 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 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 is a 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 employer.
• The organization offers flexibility in managing days and supports work/life balance.
• Participation in an environment that has received multiple top “Places to Work” awards.

Location

• Baton Rouge