Commercial & IP Counsel

StackAdapt Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 220,000 - 303,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401K and pension savings globally

Paid time off (PTO)

Mental health program

Health benefits from day one

Work from home reimbursements

WeWork access (global)

Training & development programs

Parental leave program

Inclusive culture

Team events

Job summary

StackAdapt is seeking an IP and Commercial Counsel to support the company’s AI-powered marketing platform and its privacy, compliance and product teams. You will lead complex IP matters, negotiate strategic commercial agreements, and guide licensing, data usage, and engineering collaborations.

You’ll work with product managers, engineers and outside counsel to manage litigation, patent strategies, and risk mitigation while advancing innovation in ad tech.

Qualifications

• JD and active bar in US or Canada, licensed to practice law
• 6+ years of legal experience, including 3+ years in-house and 3+ years in complex litigation
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and communication skills
• Experience in ad tech, DSP/SSP, AI-powered platforms is a plus

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and interpret commercial and IP agreements with clients and partners
• Lead IP litigation strategy and coordination with external counsel
• Advise on AI, data governance, and product compliance
• Support post-launch compliance and trademark/copyright protection

Skills

JD & Bar US/Canada

In-house legal

IP litigation

Contract negotiation

AI/Tech regulatory

Communication

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

StackAdapt is the leading technology company that empowers marketers to reach, engage, and convert audiences with precision. With 465 billion automated optimizations per second, the AI-powered StackAdapt Marketing Platform seamlessly connects brand and performance marketing to drive measurable results across the entire customer journey. The most forward-thinking marketers choose StackAdapt to orchestrate high-impact campaigns across programmatic advertising and marketing channels.

About the role

We are seeking a highly skilled and business-savvy IP and Commercial Counsel to support the ongoing operations of StackAdapt’s AI-Powered Marketing Orchestration Platform and its expanding suite of programmatic and owned-channel products, including connected TV (CTV), digital out-of-home, display, audio, and email. This Counsel will work closely with product managers, engineers, data science, compliance, privacy, and commercial teams to provide legal guidance on the design, implementation, and commercialization of advertising technologies, AI-driven and automated features, and data solutions, as well as being responsible for the Company’s intellectual property portfolio and complex intellectual property litigation. StackAdapt embraces AI and automation across the business, and this Counsel is expected to use those tools to work efficiently and to extend the reach and efficacy of the legal team.

StackAdapt is a remote first company. This role is open to applicants currently located in Canada or the United States.

What you’ll do

Commercial & Platform Agreements

• Draft, negotiate, and interpret contracts with clients and ad tech ecosystem partners, including Supply Path Optimization (SPO) agreements with SSPs, publishers, and ad exchanges, as well as data sharing and measurement/verification vendor agreements.
• Manage and negotiate IAB terms and conditions, specifically including the Standard Terms and Conditions (2.0-4.0) and the Multi-State Privacy Agreement.
• Review and negotiate agreements for AI and automation vendors, covering model and data licensing, generative-AI tools, and terms governing the use of company or third-party training data.
• Develop automated and AI-assisted workflows to ensure internal compliance with all ecosystem partner agreements.

Intellectual Property & Litigation

• Partner with and manage external counsel globally across all IP litigation, strategy, and regulatory matters.
• Direct all phases of complex IP and patent litigation, from strategy development and enforcement actions (e.g., preparing claim charts) to court appearances, drafting settlement agreements, and negotiating IP licenses.
• Advise management on overall IP strategy by overseeing patentability, freedom-to-operate, and infringement analyses.
• Work with internal R&D and product teams to identify patentable inventions, guide portfolio development, and provide training on IP best practices.
• Oversee IP due diligence for acquisitions, divestitures, or partnerships.
• Monitor changes in patent law and the evolving AI regulatory landscape to proactively advise on potential impacts to the company.

Product Counselling

• Provide comprehensive legal, IP, and regulatory guidance to internal teams during the design and launch of programmatic, martech, and owned-channel features, specifically including targeting, bidding algorithms, and data integrations.
• Advise on the legal and compliance implications of AI, machine learning, and automated decision-making tools, including training data, model outputs, and emerging governance obligations.
• Support the Privacy team on data governance matters involving bid-stream, impression, user-volunteered, and third-party data.
• Guide post-launch compliance efforts, including auditing mechanisms and the ongoing protection of proprietary technology via trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

What you Bring

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and Call to the Bar in one or more Canadian Provinces or one or more US states, with active license to practice law in such jurisdiction(s)
• 6+ years of legal experience, preferably in technology, with at least 3 years in an in-house commercial role and 3 years of complex litigation experience.
• Strong aptitude for complex technology and desire to learn the functioning of the ad tech ecosystem (including DSPs, SSPs, ad exchanges, CTV and other emerging channels, AI-powered ad tech, and programmatic advertising principles.)
• Excellent negotiation, analytical, and communication skills to manage disputes and advise senior leadership.
• Ability to handle complex cases and meet litigation deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving to balance legal risks with business goals.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills for commercial agreements.
• Ability to simplify complex legal and technical concepts for cross-functional teams.
• Excellent collaboration skills to work effectively with non-legal stakeholders, including product managers and engineers.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment and provide clear, actionable legal advice.
• A demonstrated appetite for adopting automation and AI tools to drive efficiency and consistency in legal workflows.
• Preferred: Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) certification, experience with AI-related legal and governance issues in ad tech, martech, or similar technology platforms, and fluency with AI and automation tools in a modern legal function.

The compensation range listed for this role reflects the expected base salary for candidates located in the posting country based on a global rate. It is informed by market data and the approved budget for this position. StackAdapt maintains different compensation ranges for roles across other countries and regions, and final offers will be aligned to the candidate’s current location. We do not ask candidates about current or prior salary history, and we will not use such information, if volunteered, in setting an offer.This range represents base salary only. Depending on the role, candidates may also be eligible for additional compensation such as annual bonuses, commissions, equity awards, and a comprehensive benefits package.Factors Influencing Final Compensation:The final compensation offer will be determined by a variety of factors, which may include, but are not limited to: the candidate’s specific experience, technical skills, knowledge, abilities, and relevant education, licensure, and certifications.Other business factors, such as organizational needs and budget alignment, may also be considered in the final offer.

Canada Base Salary Band: $200,000 CAD - $275,000 CAD

USA Base Salary Band: $220,000 USD - $302,500 USD

StackAdapter's Enjoy

• Highly competitive salary
• Retirement/ 401K/ Pension Savings globally
• Competitive Paid time off packages including birthday's off!
• Access to a comprehensive mental health care program
• Health benefits from day one of employment
• Work from home reimbursements
• Optional global WeWork membership for those who want a change from their home office and hubs in London and Toronto
• Robust training and onboarding program
• Coverage and support of personal development initiatives (conferences, courses, books etc)
• Access to StackAdapt programmatic courses and certifications to support continuous learning
• An awesome parental leave program
• A friendly, welcoming, and supportive culture
• Our social and team events!

StackAdapt is a diverse and inclusive team of collaborative, hardworking individuals trying to make a dent in the universe. No matter who you are, where you are from, who you love, follow in faith, disability, superpower status, ethnicity, or the gender you identify with (if you’re comfortable, let us know your pronouns), you are welcome at StackAdapt.

StackAdapt is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. If you require an accommodation, please let us know.

We use artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline the resume reviews of candidates and assess their fit based on the criteria outlined in the job posting. We do not use AI to make any final hiring or interview decisions.

About StackAdapt

We’ve been recognized for our diverse and supportive workplace, high performing campaigns, award-winning customer service, and innovation. We’ve been awarded:G2 Top Software for 2026
2026 Best Workplaces™ for Young Talent and in Canada by Great Place to Work®
#1 DSP on G2 and leader in a number of categories including Cross-Channel Advertising2026 Winner in the (CTV/OTT) Product/Platform category for the 2026 ADWEEK Tech Stack AwardsTo learn more about our privacy practices, please see our Privacy Policy.