Licensing Specialist

Spencer Fane LLP; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Spencer Fane LLP is seeking a Licensing Specialist to coordinate and administer licensing activities in support of legal and business functions. The role involves reviewing agreements, maintaining records, and collaborating with stakeholders to ensure compliance and accuracy. Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor's degree and at least 3 years of relevant experience in contract management and licensing, along with proficiency in CLM systems and Excel. This position is critical for timely execution and alignment in licensing transactions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of experience supporting licensing and contracts administration.
• Experience working with commercial agreements and royalty-based structures.
• Proficient use of document management tools and systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate licensing activities across transaction lifecycles.
• Review agreements to extract key terms and financial provisions.
• Generate reports and maintain accurate licensing records.

Skills

Contract management

Licensing support

Communication

Data management

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/legal discipline

Tools

Contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems

Excel

Job description

The Licensing Specialist coordinates and administers licensing activities in support of legal and business functions. The role maintains agreement data, tracks financial and contractual obligations, and supports the progression of licensing transactions in accordance with established processes. Responsibilities include reviewing agreements, preparing documentation, and ensuring records and reporting are accurate and up to date. The position works closely with legal, finance, and business stakeholders to support timely execution and maintain alignment across licensing activities.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Licensing Transaction & Process Coordination

• Coordinate licensing activities across the transaction lifecycle, including tracking agreements, milestones, deliverables, and contractual obligations.
• Maintain and manage tracking tools to monitor timelines and ensure transactions progress according to established schedules.
• Identify delays or gaps in process execution and communicate issues impacting timelines or deliverables.

Agreement Review & Documentation

• Review licensing agreements to extract key terms, financial provisions, and obligations using established templates and documentation standards.
• Prepare structured summaries and maintain supporting documentation for attorney and stakeholders.
• Identify inconsistencies or missing information and route for review.

Data Management, Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain licensing records, databases, and supporting documentation, ensuring information is accurate, complete, and aligned across systems.
• Record and reconcile agreement-related data, including royalty and payment information, across tracking tools and systems.
• Generate reports and compile data to support ongoing tracking, reconciliation, and operational visibility.

Research & Information Support

• Gather and organize information to support licensing activities and due diligence efforts.
• Compile data into standardized formats to support review and decision-making by attorneys and business stakeholders.

Stakeholder Coordination & Communication

• Coordinate with legal, finance, and business stakeholders to obtain required inputs, track deliverables, and maintain progress across agreements.
• Prepare routine communications, including summaries, status updates, and follow-ups on outstanding items.

Compliance & Issue Identification

• Apply established policies and procedures to support compliance with contractual requirements and internal standards.
• Identify discrepancies in documentation, data, or financial tracking and escalate issues with appropriate context for resolution.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree with coursework or concentration in contract management, finance, or a business/legal discipline preferred. Relevant professional certification in contract management, licensing, or legal support (e.g., CPCM, CCCM, CLP) preferred but not required.

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Experience: Minimum 3+ years of experience supporting licensing, contracts administration, legal operations, or transactional processes within a law firm, corporate legal department, or similar environment. Experience working with commercial agreements, licensing arrangements, or royalty-based structures, including exposure to contract documentation, financial tracking, and compliance requirements.
• Licensing & Contract Acumen: Hands‑on experience supporting contract or licensing workflows, including tracking agreements, maintaining key dates and obligations, and ensuring documentation is complete and up to date. Experience maintaining and reconciling contract or financial data within systems (e.g., CLM tools, royalty tracking platforms, Excel), including tracking payment terms, royalties, or fees. Applied knowledge of standard agreement structures, including extracting and documenting key terms using established templates or trackers.
• Systems & Tools: Proficient use of contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems, document management tools (e.g., iManage or similar), and Excel (e.g., sorting, filtering, lookups, reconciliation) to manage records, validate data, and support reporting across a volume of agreements or transactions.
• Workflow Execution & Organization: Hands‑on management of multiple agreements or work items concurrently, including maintaining organized trackers, monitoring deadlines, and ensuring documentation and deliverables remain current and complete within established processes.
• Issue Identification & Escalation: Applies judgment in identifying inconsistencies in contract terms, documentation, or financial data (e.g., missing fields, conflicting terms, payment variances) and escalating issues with appropriate context and supporting detail for resolution.
• Cross‑Functional Coordination: Experience coordinating with legal, finance, and business stakeholders to obtain required inputs, track deliverables, and maintain progress across interdependent workstreams involving multiple parties or handoffs.
• Written Communication: Proficiency in preparing clear, structured written outputs (e.g., contract summaries, trackers, status updates, correspondence) using established templates and formats to support review and use by stakeholders.
• Confidentiality & Professional Standards: Demonstrated adherence to confidentiality requirements and documentation standards when handling sensitive legal, financial, and business information.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

• None

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Primarily performed in an office environment with frequent interaction across multiple legal teams.
• Occasional travel to court, other office locations, or administrative/regulatory sites may be required.
• Work hours are generally standard business hours; however, occasional evenings or weekends may be required to meet deadlines or manage urgent docketing needs.
• Fast‑paced, collaborative environment requiring adaptability, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Regularly required to sit, stand, or walk for extended periods while performing administrative and docketing duties.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs as necessary for filing or document handling.
• Ability to perform repetitive motions, including typing, filing, and document scanning.
• Occasional bending, reaching, and handling of office equipment or materials.
• Adequate visual and auditory ability to accurately review legal documents, operate computer systems, and communicate effectively.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified.