Lead Commercial Counsel, SaaS & AI Contracts

Canto; Central City (CO); Remote; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Canto is hiring its first in‑house legal leader to build and scale a modern contracting function from the ground up. This role focuses on commercial contracting as a growth driver, reporting to the CFO, and aims to implement AI‑enabled workflows that accelerate deal velocity.

Within six months, you will own end‑to‑end contracting operations, set up CLM systems and playbooks, and partner across Sales, Finance, and the executive team to scale the business globally.

Qualifications

• JD and active bar membership in good standing.
• 5–8 years of legal experience in SaaS or technology.
• Strong experience negotiating commercial SaaS agreements (MSAs, subscription, DPAs, NDAs).
• Working knowledge of GDPR, CCPA, and related regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently and build legal infrastructure in scaling environments.
• Experience partnering with Sales in a high-velocity environment.
• Interest in legal technology and AI‑driven workflows.

Responsibilities

• Drive 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 to improve time‑to‑signature.
• Train and enable Sales to handle routine negotiations independently.
• Lead end‑to‑end contracting operations and implement a CLM system.
• Leverage AI‑driven legal tools for contract review, risk flagging, and workflow automation.

Skills

SaaS contracting

Privacy law

Cross-functional

AI tools

Education

JD & bar admission

Tools

CLM systems

AI-enabled review tools

Job description

Canto is hiring its first in‑house legal leader to build and scale a modern contracting function from the ground up. This role focuses on commercial contracting as a growth driver, reporting to the CFO, and aims to implement AI‑enabled workflows that accelerate deal velocity.

Within six months, you will own end‑to‑end contracting operations, set up CLM systems and playbooks, and partner across Sales, Finance, and the executive team to scale the business globally.