Legal Counsel

Software Placement Group, SPG; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 122,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Competitive compensation

Job summary

Software Placement Group, SPG, is recruiting a detail-oriented Legal Counsel for a leading New York architecture firm. You will oversee legal operations, review complex contracts, and manage the firm’s insurance portfolio while aligning projects with licensing laws and risk-management best practices.

Role offers a hybrid schedule (4 days in office + 1 remote day) or part-time consulting. In-house full-time compensation starts at $135K+ annually; part-time hourly rate is to be determined, with

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active member in good standing with the State Bar Association.
• 4 to 7 years of legal experience in construction law, real estate development, or design-professional liability.
• Deep understanding of architectural/interior design lifecycle, procurement risks, mechanics' liens, and standard insurance structures.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate owner-architect agreements and vendor terms.
• Manage the firm's insurance portfolio, including E&O, CGL, and EPLI.
• Identify and resolve design liability issues and construction disputes.
• Protect proprietary designs and NDAs to safeguard digital assets.
• Monitor compliance, sales tax on FF&E, and multi-state professional licensing requirements.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Risk analysis

Regulatory compliance

Insurance management

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Tools

AIA Contract Documents

Job description

Location: New York, NY | Schedule: Full-time (4 days in office + 1 remote day) or Part-time consulting | Compensation: In-House Full Time $135K+ / Part Time hourly rate to be determined

Overview

A leading architecture firm in New York City is seeking a detail-oriented Legal Counsel to manage its legal operations and professional insurance functions. This person will review complex commercial contracts, mitigate design-liability risks, and oversee a comprehensive insurance portfolio while serving as a strategic advisor to executive and design teams, ensuring projects align with state licensing laws, building regulations, and risk-management best practices.

What you'll do

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

Required qualifications

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

Compensation and benefits

• In-House Full Time: $135K+ annually
• Part Time consulting: hourly rate to be determined
• Compensation is based on experience, qualifications, and skill set

Why this role

This position offers the opportunity to serve as a strategic legal advisor within a well-established architecture firm, with flexibility between full-time in-house and part-time consulting arrangements.