Lead Commercial Counsel for SaaS, AI & Privacy (Remote)

Canto; Portland (ME); Remote; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Canto is seeking an experienced Commercial Counsel to lead end‑to‑end contracting for a scaling SaaS platform. This role will drive negotiations, implement a scalable CLM system, and enable the Sales team while coordinating privacy, security, and governance across the business.

The ideal candidate has 5–8 years in SaaS or technology law, strong negotiation skills, and a passion for AI‑driven legal workflows. Remote work options in EST/CST time zones are preferred.

Qualifications

• 5–8 years of legal experience in SaaS or technology, in-house or mix of law firm and in‑house.
• Strong experience negotiating commercial SaaS agreements, including MSAs, subscription agreements, DPAs, and NDAs.

Responsibilities

• Drive Commercial Contracting & Sales Enablement: Own negotiation and execution of commercial SaaS agreements — including MSAs, subscription agreements, DPAs, and NDAs.
• Enforce company positions on non‑standard terms and manage escalation paths, improving time‑to‑signature without increasing legal or commercial risk.
• Train and enable Sales to handle routine negotiations independently, reducing legal bottlenecks at scale.
• Own & Scale Contracting Operations: Lead the end‑to‑end contracting function for all customer and vendor agreements, building a scalable, AI‑enabled operation that reduces manual work and accelerates deal cycles.
• Implement and manage a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system, including templates, negotiation playbooks, approval workflows, and delegation of authority controls.
• Leverage AI‑driven legal tools for contract review, risk flagging, and workflow automation — actively identifying opportunities to reduce outside counsel reliance over time.
• Manage Risk Across Vendor Relationships, Privacy, and Governance: Own vendor contracting and procurement legal processes, maintaining a contract repository with proactive tracking of key terms and obligations.
• Lead legal aspects of data privacy — including DPA negotiation and regulatory alignment with GDPR, CCPA, and related frameworks — and monitor evolving requirements across Canto's operating and customer geographies.
• Partner with Security, Product, and Executive Leadership on emerging legal and regulatory requirements related to AI, data governance, automated decision‑making, IP, and responsible AI practices.
• Lead the Legal Function: Serve as the primary legal advisor across commercial and operational matters, managing outside counsel relationships across the US and Europe with a focus on cost efficiency and minimizing routine escalations.
• Handle disputes and pre‑litigation matters with a pragmatic, resolution‑oriented approach, and advise on Canto's corporate entity compliance program.
• Partner with Security during privacy and security events, coordinating on notification obligations, contractual commitments, regulatory requirements, and privilege preservation.

Skills

SaaS contracting

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

AI-driven workflows

Contract lifecycle management

Tools

CLM systems

AI-enabled legal review tools

Job description

Canto is seeking an experienced Commercial Counsel to lead end‑to‑end contracting for a scaling SaaS platform. This role will drive negotiations, implement a scalable CLM system, and enable the Sales team while coordinating privacy, security, and governance across the business.

The ideal candidate has 5–8 years in SaaS or technology law, strong negotiation skills, and a passion for AI‑driven legal workflows. Remote work options in EST/CST time zones are preferred.