Commercial Legal Counsel

Coates Group • Chicago, IL

4d • Remote

About The Position

For over almost 60 years, Coates Group's solutions have enabled impactful connections between leading brands and their customers. The company operates with the values of a family-owned business and the innovative spirit of a start-up, driven by the purpose of 'Creating Connections. Empowering Partnerships. Always Evolving.' Coates Group is an industry leader, recognized for awards and record-setting achievements, with a focus on continuous growth and evolution. They are a 2x Australia Good Design Award winner and have executed the largest hardware deployment in Quick Service Restaurant history. The company values curiosity, charisma, authenticity, and leverages diversity within its team. They are described as imaginers, kindness enthusiasts, experts, creators, thinkers, challengers, collaborators, and over-achievers, working together as a 'Crew' to revolutionize how brands use technology for customer experiences.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree, with admission to the bar in a common law jurisdiction.
• At least 3-5 years of relevant experience, preferably in-house at a technology company or in a commercial law firm.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills, able to develop pragmatic commercial approaches to legal and business problems.
• Strong understanding of commercial contract law principles with a focus on technology and intellectual property laws, including software licensing.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and prioritize effectively.
• Experience managing transactional and commercial contracts.
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders - both internally and externally.

Nice To Haves

• Excellent communication skills, with an ability to convey complex concepts and situations in clear, actionable terms for non-legal stakeholders.
• Able to anticipate and address legal issues with practical, business-friendly solutions.
• Demonstrates high accuracy and thoroughness in drafting and reviewing documents, identifying potential legal issues and commercial risks.
• Thrives in a dynamic environment and is open to change and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work independently.
• Works well with others, actively seeks input, and values diverse perspectives to drive optimal outcomes.
• Maintains high ethical standards and integrity in all matters.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and draft a range of commercial agreements (e.g., customer contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs) that align with business objectives and risk tolerance.
• Act as a trusted legal advisor on commercial matters, supporting business objectives while managing risk.
• Provide timely legal advice that supports business decisions and enables objectives.
• Develop and implement legal processes that enhance efficiency and quality in contract management.
• Foster a culture of compliance and risk awareness within the organization.
• Educate and train non-legal colleagues on legal topics relevant to their roles to improve compliance and contract outcomes.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders to facilitate effective collaboration and legal awareness.
• Establish and maintain processes for tracking key contractual obligations and milestones post-signature, ensuring both the company and its partners meet their commitments and mitigating potential disputes or breaches.
• Establish risk principles and guidelines to standardize what risks Coates is willing and unwilling to accept.
• Effective identification and mitigation of risk with an ability to assess and communicate risk to the organisation.
• Develop standard form documents and a precedent library to promote efficiency and risk governance.

Benefits

• Annual market competitive bonus program
• Thrive Program which includes a suite of flexible work options
• Dedicated time to prioritize health and wellbeing (e.g., virtual Yoga or meditation sessions)
• Global Wellness paid day off to recharge
• Give Back Day to allow Crew an opportunity to make an impact in the community

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level