Commercial Contracts Lawyer

Johnson Hana; United States; Remote; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Part time

Job summary

A legal services provider is seeking a Commercial Contracts Lawyer. This role involves drafting and negotiating contracts for clients in the technology and manufacturing sectors, ensuring compliance with government regulations. The ideal candidate has at least 5 years of experience in federal procurement and a Juris Doctor degree. This contract position offers the flexibility of working within a technology-enabled legal delivery model.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in drafting and counseling on contracts with FAR/DFARS compliance.
• Deep knowledge of federal procurement rules and strategies.
• Valid bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate commercial contracts for government-funded sales.
• Collaborate with technology teams on AI contract analysis.
• Ensure compliance with FAR and DFARS regulations.

Skills

Drafting commercial contracts involving FAR/DFARS

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Legal technology and AI workflows

Remote team collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

A Commercial Contracts Lawyer responsible for drafting, negotiating, and advising on contracts for technology and manufacturing clients selling products or services to entities in receipt of U.S. government funds subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS). This role combines regulatory expertise with AI‑augmented legal delivery, working within Johnson Hana's technology‑enabled managed services model to ensure all transactions adhere to complex regulatory, statutory, and compliance requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Contract Drafting & Negotiation

• Prepare, review, and negotiate sophisticated commercial contracts involving FAR and DFARS flowdown provisions, certifications, and audit rights
• Handle high‑volume "battle of the forms" scenarios (purchase orders, order acknowledgements, quotes with competing terms)
• Advise on risk allocation, regulatory requirements, and special federal terms across varying complexity tiers—from university purchase orders to prime contractor MSAs
• Develop and use templates/guidance for government‑funded sales transactions
• Calibrate negotiation approach based on customer type (universities, government entities, prime contractors, subcontractors)

AI‑Augmented Legal Delivery

• Collaborate with Eudia technology team to build and refine MIND playbooks for automated FAR/DFARS clause identification and analysis
• Train AI systems on government contracting nuances, providing subject matter expertise to enhance automation capabilities
• Review and validate AI‑generated contract analysis, ensuring accuracy and regulatory compliance
• Document negotiation patterns and clause precedents to continuously improve automation efficiency
• Work within blended human‑AI workflow to achieve 50‑77% efficiency improvements over traditional legal delivery

Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain deep expertise in FAR, DFARS, cybersecurity, export control, and supply chain requirements for federal fund recipients
• Ensure company and client policies comply with procurement rules governing commercial sales to federal grantees, contractors, and subrecipients
• Identify and flag high‑risk clauses including IP provisions, indemnification, limitation of liability, and warranty terms specific to government contracting
• Navigate competing regulatory frameworks when clients sell to both commercial and government‑funded customers

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as primary legal contact for government‑funded commercial transactions
• Interact with contracting officers and client compliance managers to resolve contract interpretation, amendments, and compliance disputes
• Partner with client legal teams (in‑house counsel, compliance managers, external stakeholders) to understand business priorities and risk tolerance

Risk Management & Strategic Advisory

• Evaluate and communicate contract and compliance risks, including mandatory disclosure, audit, and termination provisions
• Support investigations and resolution of government‑related contractual issues
• Balance regulatory compliance with commercial pragmatism, understanding when to push back and when to accommodate based on customer tier and deal value
• Document institutional knowledge systematically to build scalable playbooks and reduce reliance on outside counsel
• Monitor regulatory developments and update contract forms/templates accordingly
• Participate in regular client governance meetings with documented performance metrics

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) and valid bar membership (any U.S. jurisdiction)
• Significant experience (typically 5+ years) in drafting and counselling on commercial contracts involving FAR/DFARS terms and federal funding compliance
• Deep knowledge of federal procurement rules, contract negotiation strategies, and flow down requirements for commercial and technology providers (not government‑side contracting experience)
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Proven ability to work independently in remote/distributed team environments
• Comfort with legal technology and AI‑augmented workflows—willingness to "teach" systems and work collaboratively with technology teams

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Demonstrated ability to manage high‑volume, variable‑complexity portfolio of contracts subject to U.S. government requirements
• Strong understanding of both legal and business imperatives for commercial suppliers selling into government‑funded projects, particularly manufacturing, technology, and defense contractor supply chains
• Detail‑oriented, organized, and adaptable to evolving procurement regulations
• Collaborative mindset—willing to share knowledge openly and work within managed services delivery model
• Self‑starter who thrives with autonomy while maintaining strong communication with stakeholders
• Intellectually curious about legal technology and motivated by efficiency improvement
• Experience working with outside counsel‑to‑in‑house transitions or legal services consolidation a plus

Seniority Level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment Type

Contract

Job Function

Legal

Industries

Legal Services