Junior In-House Counsel

Daniels Sharpsmart Inc; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K Matching

Medical Insurance

Dental & Vision

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Daniels Health in Chicago is seeking a Junior In-House Counsel to support a broad range of legal and business matters across the organization. You will work with cross-functional teams on commercial contracting, legal operations, risk management, compliance initiatives, and other strategic business objectives in a fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate has a JD, Illinois admission or eligibility, and 2–5 years of legal experience, with strong drafting, negotiation, and research skills.

Qualifications

• JD degree from an accredited law school.
• Illinois bar admission or eligibility.
• 2–5 years of legal experience in law firm, government, clerkship, or corporate setting.
• Experience with commercial contracting, regulatory compliance, healthcare or related matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, research, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a variety of commercial agreements and related documents.
• Support contract lifecycle management with organized files and templates.
• Conduct legal research and translate findings into practical business guidance.
• Identify and mitigate legal and business risks related to contracts and policies.
• Assist in resolving contract, compliance, and other issues with stakeholders and outside counsel.
• Provide timely, solutions-oriented legal support aligned with policies and goals.
• Contribute to development of legal processes, training materials, and policy updates.
• Partner with cross-functional teams on strategic projects and daily operations.
• Perform additional legal and business projects as assigned.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Legal research

Risk assessment

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Juris Doctor

Illinois Bar admission or eligibility

Tools

Microsoft Office

Legal research tools

Job description

Daniels Health is seeking a Junior In-House Counsel to support a broad range of legal and business matters across the organization. This role is ideal for an early-career attorney looking to build hands‑on in-house experience, collaborate with cross‑functional teams, and provide practical, business‑focused legal guidance in a dynamic and fast‑paced environment. As a member of our legal team, you will work closely with internal stakeholders and external partners to support commercial contracting, legal operations, risk management, compliance initiatives, and other strategic business objectives. This is a hybrid opportunity based in our Chicago Loop office. To help you get acclimated to the role, we'd like you in the office three days a week for the first month or two. After that, the expectation is two days per week in the office.

What You'll Do:

• Draft, review, revise, negotiate, and manage a variety of commercial agreements, amendments, correspondence, legal memoranda, and other legal documents.
• Support contract lifecycle management by maintaining organized contract files, legal templates, matter records, and other legal department resources.
• Conduct legal research, fact-finding, and analysis on legal, regulatory, contractual, and operational matters, translating findings into practical business guidance.
• Identify, assess, and help mitigate legal and business risks related to contracts, corporate policies, customer disputes, vendor relationships, and operational initiatives.
• Assist in resolving contract, compliance, litigation, and other legal issues with internal stakeholders, customers, vendors, outside counsel, and third‑party partners.
• Provide timely, solutions-oriented legal support that aligns with company policies, business goals, and organizational values.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of legal processes, training materials, policy updates, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support strategic projects and day‑to‑day business operations.
• Perform additional legal and business‑related projects as assigned.

What You’ll Bring:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Admission to practice law in Illinois or eligibility for admission as required by the company.
• Approximately 2 to 5 years of legal experience in a law firm, government agency, judicial clerkship, or corporate legal department.
• Exposure to commercial contracting, litigation support, regulatory compliance, healthcare, environmental services, real estate, or general corporate matters preferred.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiation, legal research, analytical, and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage legal colleagues, business stakeholders, customers, vendors, and external counsel.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and legal research tools; experience with legal department systems is a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, and thrive in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong attention to detail with a practical, business‑minded approach to identifying risks and developing solutions.
• Collaborative and proactive mindset, with the ability to work independently while seeking guidance when appropriate.

Why Daniels:

• Industry Leader: Over 20 years of excellence in medical waste management with top-tier NPS and delivery‑reliability scores.
• 401K Matching: 50% employer match on up to 6% contribution (up to 3% employer contribution), with match starting Day 1, 5-year vesting schedule.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage effective Day 1; paid short‑term disability; company‑sponsored life insurance; and more.
• Job Stability: As an essential healthcare service provider, we’re recession‑proof and non‑seasonal.
• Permanent Role: Full‑time, Monday - Friday.
• Empowering, visionary culture: We think differently, act boldly, and value authenticity, creativity, and trust. Our team thrives on innovation, agility, and purpose‑driven work, where every unique talent contributes to meaningful impact in healthcare.
• $80,279 - $100,005 a year.

The pay range for this position is $80,279 to $100,005 base salary. Actual compensation within this range will depend on factors unique to each candidate, such as prior experience, skill, certifications, and work location. Pay variations by location reflect local conditions and differences in the cost of labor. At Daniels Health, we are committed to supporting our employees' well‑being, work‑life balance, and career growth through a comprehensive benefit package. Eligible employees enjoy benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans with company match contributions, paid vacation and sick time, wellness resources, life insurance, and professional development opportunities.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Daniels Health & Sharpsmart is an equal opportunity employer.

In accordance with anti-discrimination law, it is the purpose of this policy to effectuate these principles and mandates.

Daniels Health & Sharpsmart prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Daniels Health & Sharpsmart conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.