Commercial Counsel

Shoptalk; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

People Inc. is seeking a Commercial Counsel in New York, hybrid in-office with up to two remote days per week.

You will act as a trusted advisor to Sales, Product, Marketing, Technology, Finance, Procurement, and leadership, guiding complex commercial agreements and scalable contracting workflows. The role demands strong negotiation, legal judgment, and business-minded problem solving to accelerate deals while managing risk.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) required.
• Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar (New York preferred).
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating sophisticated commercial agreements.
• Strong communication and business-focused legal guidance.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of commercial agreements.
• Develop scalable contracting processes and playbooks to increase efficiency.
• Provide practical guidance balancing legal risk with business objectives for product launches and partnerships.
• Collaborate with Sales, Product, Marketing and Finance to support revenue growth.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Legal drafting

Business acumen

Negotiation strategy

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Active New York Bar admission

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Job Title

Commercial Counsel

Job Description

About The Position

The Commercial Counsel is a key member of People Inc's Legal team, serving as a trusted legal advisor to the business and leading the review, negotiation, and implementation of the company's commercial contracting processes. This role partners closely with Sales, Product, Marketing, Technology, Finance, Procurement, and executive leadership to support strategic initiatives while balancing legal risk with business objectives.

The Commercial Counsel is responsible for negotiating complex commercial agreements, developing scalable contracting processes, and providing practical, business-oriented legal guidance that accelerates deal execution and enables growth. Success in this role requires exceptional legal judgment, commercial acumen, strong negotiation skills, an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to translate complex legal issues into practical business solutions.

In-office Expectations - NYC Location

This position is hybrid in-office, with the ability to work remotely up to two days per week.

About The Team

The Legal team partners across the organization to protect the company's brands, intellectual property, employees, customers, and business while enabling growth through practical legal advice and strategic risk management.

About The Position’s Contributions

60%

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of commercial agreements, including customer, vendor, technology, SaaS, software licensing, advertising, partnership, procurement, consulting, confidentiality, data processing, and professional services agreements.

15%

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve scalable contracting processes, templates, negotiation playbooks, training materials, and legal operations to increase efficiency, consistency, and speed.

15%

• Support strategic initiatives, product launches, partnerships, emerging technologies, and new business models by identifying legal risks and recommending practical solutions that balance legal requirements with business objectives.

5%

• Partner with Sales, Product, Marketing, Technology, Procurement, Finance, and other business leaders to provide practical legal guidance that supports revenue growth while appropriately managing legal and commercial risk.

5%

• Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting commercial transactions, intellectual property, privacy, AI, digital advertising, and technology, and advise internal stakeholders on business implications.

The Role’s Minimum Qualifications and Job Requirements

Education

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Bachelor's degree.
• Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar (New York preferred).

Experience

• 4+ years of experience practicing commercial, corporate, technology, media, intellectual property, or business law at a nationally recognized law firm and/or in-house legal department.
• Significant experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating sophisticated commercial agreements.
• Demonstrated interest in advising cross-functional business teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated interest in supporting technology, digital media, publishing, advertising, SaaS, or consumer businesses.
• Demonstrated interest in intellectual property transactions, privacy, AI, product counseling, or data licensing.
• Experience developing legal operations, contract management processes, and contracting playbooks.

Specific Knowledge, Skills, Certifications and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of commercial contracting principles, contract negotiation, and risk allocation.
• Collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed organization and adapt to changing needs.
• Experience negotiating technology, SaaS, licensing, advertising, marketing, procurement, consulting, data processing, and professional services agreements.
• Strong understanding of intellectual property law and commercial transactions.
• Exceptional legal judgment with the ability to provide practical, business-focused advice that balances legal risk with business objectives.
• Strong negotiation, drafting, issue-spotting, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex legal concepts or issues to the Law Department as well as non-lawyers and executive leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and build trusted partnerships across Sales, Product, Marketing, Technology, Procurement, Finance, and executive leadership.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and negotiate numerous agreements simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High ethical standards, sound judgment, attention to detail, and unquestioned integrity.

Travel Required (Approximate): < 5%

It is the policy of People Inc. to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Company will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Accommodation requests can be made by emailing [e-mail].

The Company participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here: https://www.e-verify.gov/employees

Pay Range

Salary: New York: $150,000.00 - $180,000.00

The pay range above represents the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position and may change in the future. Actual pay may vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to work location, experience, and performance. The range listed is just one component of People Inc's total compensation package for employees. Other compensation may include annual bonuses, and short- and long-term incentives. In addition, People Inc. provides to employees (and their eligible family members) a variety of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, unlimited paid time off (PTO), adoption or surrogate assistance, donation matching, tuition reimbursement, basic life insurance, basic accidental death & dismemberment, supplemental life insurance, supplemental accident insurance, commuter benefits, short term and long term disability, health savings and flexible spending accounts, family care benefits, a generous 401K savings plan with a company match program, 10-12 paid holidays annually, and generous paid parental leave (birthing and non-birthing parents), all of which may vary depending on the specific nature of your employment with People Inc. and your work location. We also offer voluntary benefits such as pet insurance, accident, critical and hospital indemnity health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance.