Lead Commercial Counsel - SaaS & AI (Remote)

Canto; Wisconsin; Remote; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Canto, a leader in digital asset management, seeks a Commercial Counsel to build and scale a modern in-house legal function. You will own end-to-end contracting for customers and vendors, implement CLM systems, and leverage AI for review and workflows.

You will partner with Sales, Security, and Product across US and Europe, shaping governance, privacy, and commercial terms in a fast-growing SaaS environment.

Qualifications

• 5-8 years of legal experience in SaaS or technology, in-house or a mix of law firm and in-house.
• Strong experience negotiating commercial SaaS agreements, including MSAs, subscription agreements, DPAs, and NDAs.
• Working knowledge of data privacy frameworks, including GDPR, CCPA, and related regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently, build processes from scratch, and establish legal infrastructure in a scaling environment.
• Experience partnering with Sales and go-to-market teams in a high-velocity commercial environment.
• Clear interest in legal technology and AI-driven workflows, with a commitment to building a modern, tech-enabled legal function.
• Hands-on experience with CLM systems and AI-enabled legal review or drafting tools.
• Prior experience as an early or first in-house legal hire.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal stakeholders.
• Commercial judgment and pragmatism - able to balance legal risk with business velocity and act as a trusted partner, not a gatekeeper.
• Able to create structure, systems, and process where none exist.
• Ability to leverage AI tools for contract review, workflow automation, and legal operations - and a proactive approach to identifying new efficiencies through technology.
• Cross-functional collaboration skills and a track record of building trust with Sales, Finance, and executive stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own negotiation and execution of commercial SaaS agreements - including MSAs, subscription agreements, DPAs, and NDAs - while enabling the business to move quickly within defined guardrails.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

Communication

Commercial judgment

Cross-functional collaboration

Independent initiative

Legal tech interest

AI-enabled workflows

Contract negotiation

Tools

CLM systems

AI drafting tools

Legal review tools

Job description

Canto, a leader in digital asset management, seeks a Commercial Counsel to build and scale a modern in-house legal function. You will own end-to-end contracting for customers and vendors, implement CLM systems, and leverage AI for review and workflows.

You will partner with Sales, Security, and Product across US and Europe, shaping governance, privacy, and commercial terms in a fast-growing SaaS environment.