Lead Counsel, Commercial

Overview

This role involves leading the US commercial legal team for a company specializing in secure, production-ready open source software builds. Reporting to the Director of Commercial Legal who oversees the global commercial legal function, the Lead Counsel, Commercial Legal will manage a team of legal professionals while remaining an active negotiator and trusted partner to the US Go-To-Market organization.

The ideal candidate is an experienced commercial attorney with legal management experience, capable of leading a high-performing team without losing their edge as a practitioner. The role requires strong organizational skills, decisiveness, business acumen, and the ability to coach team members through complex negotiations as well as close deals independently. Experience with open source licensing, US federal and state privacy and data security laws, and negotiating with highly regulated customers in industries such as financial services, healthcare, defense, and insurance is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of US-based commercial legal professionals
• Oversee the health, output, and efficiency of the US commercial legal function, ensuring adequate resourcing and coordination
• Act as a hands-on commercial attorney managing a portfolio of complex enterprise deals from negotiation through closing
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements including SaaS agreements, enterprise customer agreements, MSAs, order forms, DPAs, NDAs, and partner/channel agreements, including complex customer paper
• Collaborate with the global Director of Commercial Legal to align US team practices, playbooks, and priorities with the global commercial legal strategy
• Develop and refine commercial playbooks, escalation frameworks, and template libraries tailored to the US market
• Create and maintain self-serve resources to empower Sales, Customer Success, and other go-to-market teams to operate with less legal friction
• Negotiate directly with sophisticated customer counsel in regulated industries such as financial services, insurance, healthcare, defense, and pharmaceuticals
• Ensure commercial agreements comply with open source licensing requirements and industry best practices
• Maintain knowledge of applicable US federal and state privacy laws (including CCPA/CPRA, state data breach notification requirements, and sector-specific frameworks) as they relate to commercial contracting
• Partner closely with Product, Security, and other cross-functional teams to align legal guidance with business and technical objectives
• Provide practical, risk-calibrated legal guidance to senior leadership and go-to-market stakeholders consistent with company policies and risk tolerance
• Manage US quarter-end and month-end closing cycles to ensure timely deal closures

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent legal qualification with active bar or solicitor membership in good standing
• 10+ years of commercial legal experience, ideally combining law firm and in-house technology company experience
• Currently in an in-house, sell-side commercial legal role (procurement, vendor management, or buy-side contracting experience is not suitable)
• Experience managing a team of at least two legal professionals with a track record of developing and retaining talent
• Proven ability to independently manage full commercial deal cycles, including complex enterprise transactions on customer paper
• Strong communication skills with the ability to simplify complex legal and business issues into clear, actionable guidance
• Working knowledge of open source licensing and compliance considerations
• Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives while maintaining deal velocity
• Experience in cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, or related technology sectors is strongly preferred
• Ability to lead a team effectively under pressure, especially during month-end and quarter-end closing periods

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range: $221,000—$260,000 USD
• Flexible and remote-first work culture with team meetups, bi-annual summits, and monthly stipends for coworking spaces, phone, and internet costs
• Stock options granted upon hire and promotion, with participation in secondary offerings and a 10-year exercise window
• 100% coverage of health, vision, and dental insurance premiums for employees and dependents
• Unlimited flexible time off
• Paid parental leave: 18 weeks for birthing parents, 12 weeks for non-birthing parents, usable all at once or throughout the first year

Location

This is a US-based role with a focus on supporting the US commercial legal function. Remote work is supported with periodic in-person meetups and summits.