Legal Counsel - Corporate

Nelnet•Lincoln, NE

1d•$125,000 - $165,000

About The Position

Nelnet is a diversified and innovative company committed to enriching lives through the power of service as a student loan servicer, professional services company, consumer loan originator and servicer, payments processor, renewable energy solutions, and K-12 and higher education expert. For over 40 years, Nelnet has been serving its customers, associates, and communities. The perks of working at Nelnet go beyond our benefits package. When you join the Nelnet team, you're part of a community invested in the success of each individual. That support comes through in our work, as we are united by our mission of creating opportunities for people where they live, learn, and work. Legal Counsel – Corporate position plays a key role in supporting a broad range of corporate and commercial legal matters across the organization. This position is responsible for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts while providing strategic legal guidance to internal business partners. The ideal candidate will bring strong analytical skills and practical legal judgment to navigate complex transactional issues. This role collaborates closely with cross-functional teams to identify and mitigate legal risk while advancing Nelnet's business objectives.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school and admission to practice law and in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction required.
3-5 years of relevant experience at a law firm and/or in-house legal department.
Experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, including SaaS or technology-related agreements.
Experience with general corporate and transactional matters.
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and deliver practical, business-focused advice.

Nice To Haves

Prior in-house experience, particularly at a technology or financial services company
Supporting corporate governance or routine transaction matters
Supporting capital markets, structured finance, and M&A transactions.

Responsibilities

Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial agreements, including SaaS customer agreements, MSAs, SOWs, partnership agreements, NDAs, and vendor/procurement contracts.
Provide practical, risk-balanced legal advice to sales, procurement, operations, and product teams that aligns with business objectives.
Identify and escalate material legal and business risks appropriately while independently resolving routine matters.
Assist with general corporate governance and compliance, including entity maintenance, board materials, and ancillary corporate filings.
Support M&A, structured finance, joint venture, and restructuring transactions under senior attorney supervision.
Help manage outside counsel on discrete projects as needed.
Contribute to the development and maintenance of contract templates, playbooks, and internal legal guidelines.
Support contract lifecycle management processes and drive efficiency improvements within the legal function.
Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, finance, product, IT, security, and compliance teams to deliver clear, actionable legal guidance.