Contracts and Compliance Attorney

Ropes & Gray•Boston, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Oversee the growth and improvement of contract management policies, processes, and systems. Provide legal advice on vendor contracts, client questionnaires, and business associate agreements to support a busy team in a fast-paced and evolving law firm environment. Ensure efficient contract life cycle management operations. Contribute to the development and implementation of supplier risk management and governance policies.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school
Admission to the state bar in MA or NY
Three to five years oof legal experience, including contract drafting and negotiation of supplier agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and business associate agreements, preferred
Solid business judgment and ability to anticipate and analyze impact and consequences of decisions and recommendations
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and writing skills
Ability to work with and explain matters to various audiences
Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment, both individually and collaboratively

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with HIPAA (US), GDPR (UK), and state privacy laws a plus
Recognized procurement certification (such as CIPS, ISM) is a plus
Proficiency with generative artificial intelligence tools like Harvey a plus
Proficiency with contract management systems and legal research tools a plus

Responsibilities

Review and draft contractual language and standardize terms for use across vendors
Provide analysis and feedback to internal stakeholders on specific vendor agreements, statements of work, and renewals
Negotiate agreements with vendors to achieve optimal service and protect the firm
Develop and maintain a library of standard agreements and playbook of preferred terms
Develop checklists and best practices in connection with review and drafting of preferred vendor terms for various categories of contracts (SaaS, Gen AI tools, HR benefits, event sponsorship, etc.)
Liaise with internal subject matter experts and Office of General Counsel to ensure applicability and sufficiency of vendor contracting practices related to privacy, confidentiality, information security, insurance, indemnification, and other compliance concerns
Support the development, implementation, and improvement of systems for contract lifecycle management
Evaluate and recommend tools for management and monitoring of contract life cycle (renewals, terminations, return or destruction of information, et al.)
Contribute to the implementation and application of supplier risk management policies, including appraisal, assessment, onboarding, risk and performance monitoring, policy compliance, and communication
Stay informed about professional trends and functional innovation in sourcing and procurement, particularly around legal and contractual matters
Conduct legal research, draft memoranda, and provide legal advice regarding procurement and contracting rules, contract enforcement by jurisdiction, and applicable privacy laws.
Participate in training and education of firm managers regarding contract life cycle and best practices
Supervise junior lawyers’ review of vendor contracts, including training, review of work product, and staffing
Review and draft edits to data protection addenda in connection with vendor contracts, as needed
Review and draft edits to non-disclosure agreements in connection with vendor contracts, as needed
Assist internal stakeholders and case teams with response to client vendor questionnaires
Assist IT team with review and edits to business associate agreements in connection with vendor engagements
Assume additional responsibilities as needed