Associate General Counsel

Overview

This role offers a unique opportunity to serve as the primary legal partner to the General Counsel of a growing GovTech SaaS company. The Associate General Counsel will help shape the legal function across a broad range of issues including commercial contracting, data privacy, employment, regulatory compliance, governance, disputes, product counseling, strategic transactions, and legal operations.

The position involves close collaboration with business and technical leaders to navigate complex legal questions in real time while strengthening and scaling the legal function. It is suited for a lawyer who values autonomy, variety, and practical problem-solving in a fast-paced environment.

The organization provides innovative software solutions that assist government agencies in processing tax collections, electronic payments, auctions, and motor vehicle transactions through hosted SaaS applications. These products operate at the intersection of technology, public finance, and regulated government environments.

Responsibilities

Commercial Contracts and SaaS Transactions

• Lead the commercial contracting function, including drafting, reviewing, and negotiating agreements such as:
  • SaaS subscription agreements and terms of service
  • Professional services and implementation statements of work
  • Data protection and information security addenda
  • Confidentiality agreements
  • Vendor, subcontractor, and consulting agreements

Risk, Privacy, and AI Governance

• Provide practical guidance on legal, regulatory, and contractual risks, balancing risk management with business objectives.
• Oversee compliance with data protection, privacy, and information security requirements in client and vendor relationships.
• Support development and refinement of privacy and AI governance policies, standards, and training, including responsible AI use.

Templates, Playbooks, Tools, and Legal Operations

• Own and improve core contract templates, fallback positions, and clause libraries, focusing on SaaS and government contracting nuances.
• Develop and maintain contracting playbooks to support consistent, scalable negotiation with risk-based flexibility.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to implement and refine contract lifecycle management and AI-enabled legal tools.
• Contribute to legal operations initiatives to improve visibility, efficiency, and predictability, including intake processes, KPIs, and self-service resources.

Collaboration, Counseling, and Training

• Partner with General Counsel to provide generalist in-house legal support, focusing on commercial contracts.
• Provide practical employment law guidance in partnership with HR.
• Support corporate governance and entity management, including policies, charters, and board or committee materials.
• Assist with dispute resolution and pre-litigation strategy, including managing demand letters, escalated customer/vendor issues, and coordinating outside counsel.
• Support legal aspects of strategic transactions such as M&A, including diligence, contract review, and integration workstreams.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• 4-7 years of post-JD experience.
• At least 3 years of in-house legal experience strongly preferred.
• Ability to manage a high volume of concurrent matters, prioritize effectively, and work independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly to senior stakeholders.
• High personal integrity, judgment, and discretion with a track record of building trust across functions.
• Experience drafting and negotiating technology-focused commercial agreements.
• Experience with data and privacy issues in contracts.
• Familiarity with legal AI tools and demonstrated interest in AI orchestration engineering.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in several of the following areas is especially valuable:

• SaaS and GovTech:

  • Prior work with state or local government customers, including public procurement, RFP processes, and government contracting positions.
  • Experience in FinTech, payments, or other highly regulated technology sectors.

• Government Contracting:

  • Familiarity with state/local and/or federal government contract requirements affecting commercial terms, risk allocation, and compliance.

• Privacy and AI Governance:

  • Practical experience implementing or advising on privacy programs, data protection impact assessments, or similar frameworks.
  • Exposure to AI governance including internal policies, vendor diligence, or risk assessments.

• Legal Operations and Tooling:

  • Hands-on experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and AI-assisted contract review tools.
  • Experience designing legal processes, playbooks, or metrics to improve consistency and scalability of a small legal team.

Compensation and Benefits

• Expected salary range: $155,000–$200,000 per year.
• Minimal travel required (typically 1-2 weeks per year for on-site meetings).
• Flexible work environment supporting both on-site and telecommuting arrangements.

Location

The position supports remote work with occasional on-site meetings as needed.