Procurement Counsel

Kirkland & Ellis; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Job summary

Kirkland & Ellis is seeking a commercially minded attorney to negotiate complex contracts, manage risk, and partner with business leaders to drive operational success. The Procurement Counsel will guide vendor contracts for global operations and lead a team of procurement attorneys to evolve contracting practices.

The role covers cross-border collaboration across the United States, Europe, APAC, and the Middle East, with emphasis on practical, compliant, and business-focused contracting support.

Qualifications

• J.D. from accredited law school and admission to practice in at least one state where the Firm has an office.
• 5+ years of prior commercial contract review experience in a corporate, legal or finance setting.
• Strong knowledge of vendor, supplier, and professional services agreements and related risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal counsel on contractual, operational, regulatory, and commercial matters involving third-party vendors and suppliers.
• Oversee contract intake, legal review, drafting, negotiation, execution, and recordkeeping for vendor agreements.
• Draft and negotiate professional services agreements, statements of work, engagement letters, AIA contracts, purchasing agreements, and other contracts.
• Partner with leadership, Purchasing, IT, Information Security, Privacy, Risk Management and other stakeholders to support efficient contracting processes.
• Interpret contractual requirements, provide practical solutions to business challenges, and assist in resolving supplier disputes and contract issues.
• Lead and develop a team of procurement attorneys and enhance contracting practices across the firm.
• Drive operational excellence by prioritizing work and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality legal support.

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

Tools

MS Word

Adobe Acrobat Pro

DocuSign

Job description

At Kirkland & Ellis, we don’t just meet the standard for legal excellence — we set it. Our culture is built on teamwork, ingenuity and an unwavering commitment to continuous growth. We tackle the most sophisticated legal challenges with bold ideas and innovative solutions, powered by the exceptional experience and ambition of our 7,000+ people, including 4,000+ attorneys, across 24 offices worldwide. Our dedicated professionals share our lawyers’ commitment to excellence and show up each day to do meaningful work that helps drive global business, investment and innovation forward.

What You’ll Do

Are you a commercially minded attorney who thrives on negotiating complex agreements, managing risk, and partnering with business leaders to drive operational success?

As Procurement Counsel, you will play a key role in supporting the Firm’s global business operations by providing practical, risk-based legal guidance on a broad range of vendor and supplier agreements. You'll lead the legal review and negotiation of contracts that support critical functions across Finance, Talent, Construction & Architecture, Business Development, Risk Management, Research & Knowledge, Administration, and other business teams.

This is a highly collaborative opportunity to work with stakeholders across the United States, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the Middle East while helping shape efficient, compliant, and business-focused contracting practices. In addition to managing a diverse portfolio of agreements, you will have the opportunity to lead and develop a team of procurement attorneys and contribute to the continued evolution of the Firm’s procurement function.

• Provide strategic legal counsel: Advise business operations teams on contractual, operational, regulatory, and commercial matters involving third-party vendors and suppliers.
• Manage the contract lifecycle: Oversee contract intake, legal review, drafting, negotiation, execution, and recordkeeping for a wide variety of vendor agreements.
• Draft and negotiate agreements: Prepare and negotiate professional services agreements, statements of work, engagement letters, American Institute of Architects (AIA) contracts, purchasing agreements, and other operational contracts.
• Partner across the business: Collaborate with leadership, business owners, Purchasing and Strategic Sourcing, Information Technology (IT), Information Security, Privacy, Risk Management, and other stakeholders to support efficient contracting processes.
• Mitigate risk and ensure compliance: Interpret contractual requirements, provide practical solutions to business challenges, and support the resolution of supplier disputes, escalations, and contract-related issues.
• Lead and develop a team: Guide procurement attorneys, foster excellence in legal service delivery, and help strengthen contracting practices across the organization.
• Drive operational excellence: Prioritize work, allocate resources effectively, and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality legal support in a fast-paced environment.

What You’ll Bring

• J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to practice in at least one state in which the Firm has an office; 5+ years of prior commercial contract review experience within a corporate, legal or finance department.
• Commercial Contracting Expertise: Strong knowledge of vendor, supplier, professional services, and operational agreements, with the ability to balance legal risk and business objectives.
• Business Acumen & Problem Solving: Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, project management, and decision-making skills with a practical, solutions-oriented approach.
• Relationship Management: Proven ability to build trusted partnerships, communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and deliver outstanding client service.
• Professional Judgment & Confidentiality: Demonstrated discretion in handling sensitive information and sound judgment in complex legal and business matters.
• Attention to Detail & Growth Mindset: Commitment to accuracy, continuous learning, adaptability, and incorporating feedback in a dynamic environment.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including advanced Microsoft Word editing skills; experience with Adobe Acrobat Pro and DocuSign is preferred.

Compensation

The base salary range below represents the low and high end of the salary range for this position in Chicago. This range may differ based on your geographic location and cost of living considerations. At Kirkland & Ellis, we consider compensation more than just a base salary. We offer an exceptional range of flexible benefits including comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, and retirement. We also offer personal support and tailored learning and development opportunities all designed to help you realize your full potential both in life and at work.

Compensation Range:

Chicago: $150,000 - $191,0000

All employment decisions, including the recruiting, hiring, placement, training availability, promotion, compensation, evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination of employment (if necessary) are made without regard to the employee’s race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy or childbirth, personal appearance, family responsibilities, sexual orientation or preference, gender identity, political affiliation, source of income, place of residence, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military veteran status, unfavorable discharge from military service, physical or mental disability, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law. #LI-Hybrid #LI-MP1