Senior Commercial Attorney

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
Admission to practice law in Illinois (or ability to obtain admission promptly).
Minimum of 12 years of relevant legal experience, with a focus on commercial and procurement-related contracts.
Demonstrated experience in drafting, negotiating, and managing complex agreements in a corporate or financial services setting.
Strong leadership and team management abilities.
Excellent negotiation, communication, and analytical skills.
Proficiency in using contract lifecycle management systems or similar tools.

Mentor and lead a team of legal professionals in the procurement contract lifecycle, providing strategic guidance and ensuring the team adheres to best practices in contract review and negotiation.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of procurement-related contracts such as hardware purchase agreements, master service agreements (MSAs), software licensing agreements and non-disclosure agreements.
Analyze and negotiate complex commercial and financial services industry agreements, such as market data agreement, co-location agreements, client agreements, and broker agreements, ensuring alignment with the firm’s business objectives.
Develop, update, and maintain standardized contract templates for industry-specific agreements to streamline processes and mitigate risk.
Develop, implement, and maintain policies and procedures to optimize contract management and legal processes.
Work closely with departments such as Finance, Procurement, Technology, and other members of the U.S. and global Legal teams to identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks.
Lead and contribute to cross-functional projects that drive process improvements, optimize operations, and enhance legal and business outcomes.
Identify potential legal risks and proactively provide solutions.
Manage disputes and liaise with external counsel as necessary to safeguard the firm’s interests.
Act as escalation point for contract negotiations and disputes with vendors.

Experience reviewing and negotiating complex industry-related agreements.
Background or familiarity with tax, corporate law, or industry-specific regulatory frameworks is highly desirable.
Proven ability to draft and refine standardized contract templates tailored to industry-specific needs.
Experience working on cross-functional projects.
Experience mentoring or managing other legal professionals in an in-house environment is preferred.