Commercial Counsel

AssemblyAI•New York, NY

13h•$190,000 - $225,000•Hybrid

About The Position

AssemblyAI is seeking a seasoned Commercial Counsel to join its legal team as the second hire. This role will serve as the dedicated legal partner to the enterprise sales organization and be the primary legal owner of the company's commercial contracting lifecycle. The position is hybrid, requiring two days per week in the NYC office. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in technology commercial contracting, particularly within high-growth AI or SaaS startups, and possess exceptional business judgment to manage risks effectively while maintaining deal momentum.

Requirements

J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
Active membership in good standing with the New York bar.
3–5 years of hands-on technology commercial contracting experience at a top-tier tech law firm (Gunderson, Fenwick, Cooley, Orrick, Wilson Sonsini, or equivalents) or high-growth AI or SaaS startup.
Deep expertise drafting and negotiating MSAs, DPAs, BAAs, and commercial agreements with sophisticated enterprise counterparties.
Ability to balance risk against deal velocity.
Strong working command of global data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA).
Sharp, up-to-date grasp of commercial AI considerations (IP protection, training rights, regulatory trends).
Self-sufficient operator comfortable carrying a high deal volume with minimal supervision in a fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

Draft, review, and negotiate enterprise-grade Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Data Protection Addendums (DPAs), Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), and other commercial arrangements under tight deadlines.
Negotiate privacy and data protection terms across commercial agreements, including identifying, addressing, and escalating key issues under GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, and other privacy regulations.
Advise directly on AI-specific contract issues, including model training, intellectual property ownership, and AI data governance.
Apply exceptional business judgment to determine which risks and liabilities the company can absorb or push back on, minimizing unnecessary redlines while protecting the business.
Drive MSAs, DPAs, BAAs, and other commercial agreements from initiation to execution with minimal guidance.
Balance risk against deal velocity, knowing when to concede a point to close a deal and when to stand firm.
Keep deal momentum moving at start-up speed.