Legal Counsel

Overview

This role is for a Legal Counsel focused on commercial contracting and contract lifecycle management to support the organization’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs and mission to reduce waste and promote a circular economy.

Reporting to the General Counsel, the Legal Counsel will lead contract negotiation and lifecycle management for a high volume of program, vendor, and stakeholder agreements.

Responsibilities

Contract Support

• Support and scale a high-volume contracting environment with a focus on efficiency.
• Lead end-to-end contract lifecycle, including intake, drafting, negotiation, execution, amendment, and termination for a wide variety of contracts (e.g., service provider agreements, consulting agreements, program agreements, NDAs, etc.).
• Develop and continuously improve contract templates, fallback positions, and playbooks.
• Identify and mitigate key commercial risks (indemnity, liability caps, data rights, termination rights, regulatory obligations) and lead negotiation of risk allocation positions with counterparties.
• Implement and provide ongoing support for contract lifecycle management (CLM), including workflows, processes, metadata, and reporting.
• Track and report contract metrics (cycle time, volume, risk trends).
• Serve as a primary legal advisor to business teams on contract strategy, risk allocation, and negotiation positions.
• Own contract compliance processes and governance, including recordkeeping and audit readiness.

Legal & Regulatory Research

• Provide targeted legal analysis on regulatory requirements as they directly impact contract terms, obligations, and program implementation.
• Draft legal memoranda and summaries to inform internal decision-making.
• Assist in ensuring compliance with applicable law, regulations, and contract commitments.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school.
• Active bar membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state.
• 5+ years of experience with a primary focus on commercial contract drafting and negotiation (law firm or in-house).
• Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating complex commercial agreements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CLM systems (ideally, Ironclad).

Compensation & Benefits

• Pay rate: Based on a variety of factors in accordance with applicable law, including the successful candidate’s relevant experience, skills, knowledge, and experience.

Location

• Remote in U.S. with preference for Milwaukee, WI.
• Occasional travel to meetings or for stakeholder engagement as needed; future work location may be determined.