Legal Advisor

Sterling St James LLC; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 122,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling St James LLC in New York City's iconic architecture scene seeks a Legal Counsel to manage contracts, insurance programs, and risk across projects. This in‑house role blends strategic advisory duties with hands‑on contract drafting and insurance tracking.

The ideal candidate holds a J.D., active bar status, and 4–7 years of construction or design‑professional liability experience. The role supports hybrid work (4 days in office, 1 remote) from the New York Office.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active State Bar admission in good standing.
• 4–7 years of legal experience, construction law or design‑professional liability preferred.
• Deep understanding of architectural/interior design lifecycle and related risks.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate owner-architect and other contracts.
• Oversee and optimize the firm’s insurance portfolio (E&O, CGL, EPLI).
• Identify and mitigate design liability, construction disputes, and delay claims.
• Protect proprietary designs and digital assets via IP protections and NDAs.
• Monitor licensing requirements and cross‑state compliance for designers.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Risk management

Regulatory compliance

Insurance knowledge

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Tools

AIA Contract Documents

Job description

Legal Counsel / In-House Full Time or Consulting Part Time

4 to 7 Years Experience

Our client, a leading architecture firm in New York City, is seeking a detail-oriented Legal Counsel, to manage their legal operations and professional insurance sector. Candidates will be charged with reviewing complex commercial contracts, mitigating design-liability risks, and managing their comprehensive insurance portfolio while acting as a strategic advisor to their executive and design teams, ensuring all projects align with state licensing laws, building regulations, and risk-management best practices.

Responsibilities:

• Contract Management: Draft, review, and negotiate owner-architect agreements (including AIA Contract Documents), interior design purchasing agreements, consultant contracts, and vendor terms.
• Insurance Oversight: Manage the firm’s insurance portfolio, including Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions), Commercial General Liability, and Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI).
• Risk Mitigation: Identify and resolve potential design liability issues, construction administration disputes, and project delay claims before they escape.
• Intellectual Property: Protect the firm’s proprietary designs, custom furniture concepts, and digital assets through copyright, trademark, and robust non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
• Compliance & Licensing: Monitor corporate compliance, sales tax obligations on FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment), and multi-state professional licensing requirements for our designers and architects.

Required Experience:

• Education: Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Bar Admission: Active member in good standing with the State Bar Association.
• Experience: 4 to 7 years of legal experience, ideally splitting time between a law firm and an inhouse setting specializing in construction law, real estate development, or design-professional liability.
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the architectural/interior design lifecycle, procurement risks, mechanics’ liens, and standard industry insurance structures.

Annual Salary Range*: In-House Full Time $135K+ / option for Part Time at an hourly rate to be determined

Schedule: Full Time 4 days in office + 1 remote day / option for Part Time consulting

Location: New York Office

*Compensation is based on experience, qualifications, and skill set.