Associate Director, Commercial Counsel

Role Overview

• Drafting, Reviewing, and Negotiating Contracts
• Lead the drafting, review, and redlining of a broad range of commercial agreements — including MSAs, SOWs, NDAs, DPAs, vendor, consulting, production, and talent agreements.
• Independently negotiate agreements with counterparties (both clients and vendors) and effectively represent DEPT®’s interests.
• Contract Management and Compliance
• Support contract compliance with established company processes and policies.
• Support and drive the continuous improvement of DEPT®’s contract templates and playbooks to reflect current business and legal considerations.
• Monitor changes in applicable laws, regulations, and best practices relevant to DEPT®’s operations.
• Risk Management and Dispute Handling
• Be able to lead commercial dispute resolution efforts in collaboration with the DEPT® Legal team, providing risk assessments and recommending practical solutions.
• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to company management at all levels, providing timely, actionable, and business-focused guidance.
• Process Improvement and Relationship Building
• Identify process gaps and drive creative solutions in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with business teams to ensure contracts are well-tailored to DEPT®’s needs.
• Coordinate with and manage external counsel and subject matter experts where required.
• AI Tools and Technology
• Leverage AI-powered legal tools — including contract review and analysis platforms and AI-assisted drafting tools — to increase efficiency and throughput across the contract lifecycle.
• Actively identify opportunities to integrate AI tools into legal workflows, while applying sound professional judgment to review, validate, and take responsibility for all AI-generated outputs.
• Partner with the broader organization on AI-related commercial matters, including advising on AI procurement contracts, data processing terms, and IP and liability considerations arising from the use of AI services.
• Leadership and Knowledge Sharing
• Stay at the forefront of developments in legal AI, emerging technologies, and industry standards, proactively assessing their applicability to DEPT®’s legal function and sharing insights with the wider team.
• Mentor junior members of the Legal team and foster a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor and bar membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state.
• 5+ years of transactional contract experience, including drafting, redlining, negotiation, and contract management.
• Significant in-house experience strongly preferred; litigation experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage a high-volume contract workload and advise senior business stakeholders.
• Strong organizational, traffic management, and operational skills.
• Ability to move quickly yet efficiently to protect risk while maximizing turnaround time.
• Knowledge of applicable statutes, rules, and regulations pertaining to DEPT®’s business and its states/countries of operation.
• A high level of complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and information analysis skills are essential for this role.
• Experience with creative production contracts (music licensing, talent agreements, video production agreements) a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly to non-lawyers.
• The ability to encourage and build mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among all DEPT® team members and clients.
• Strong focus on treating everyone at DEPT® as a client, and treating DEPT®’s clients with respect and a win-win problem-solving demeanor.
• Ability to predict and prevent legal issues and risks.
• Effectively represent the organization as appropriate in its relationships with legal and business communities.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with AI-powered legal tools, including: contract review and analysis platforms; and AI-assisted legal drafting and research tools. Ability to critically evaluate and validate AI-generated outputs, applying professional judgment to identify errors, gaps, and legal risks.
• Experience evaluating and implementing AI tools within a legal or corporate environment, including contributing to AI use policies, risk assessments, and internal training on responsible AI use.
• Genuine interest in, and ongoing engagement with, the evolving landscape of legal AI — including awareness of key vendors, product capabilities, and the limitations and risks of AI in legal practice.
• High professional and personal standards with unquestioned integrity.

Benefits

• Healthcare, Dental, and Vision coverage
• 401k plan, plus matching
• PTO
• Paid Company Holidays
• Parental Leave