Senior Commercial Counsel, SaaS & AI-Driven CLM (Remote)

Canto; Eagle (ID); Remote; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Canto is hiring its first in‑house legal leader to build and scale a modern contracting function for a fast‑growing SaaS company. You will design scalable processes, CLM systems, and AI‑enabled workflows to accelerate deal velocity while managing risk across US and EU operations.

You will collaborate with Sales, Finance, and executive leadership to drive growth, implement governance, and ensure privacy and compliance across geographies.

Qualifications

• JD and active bar membership in good standing.
• 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.
• Background in multi‑entity, multi‑jurisdiction SaaS businesses with US and EU exposure.
• Prior experience as an early or first in‑house legal hire.
• Familiarity with vendor, partner, or channel contracting models.

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

Commercial contracting

SaaS agreements

Clause negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

JD and bar membership

Tools

CLM systems

AI tools for contract review

Job description

Canto is hiring its first in‑house legal leader to build and scale a modern contracting function for a fast‑growing SaaS company. You will design scalable processes, CLM systems, and AI‑enabled workflows to accelerate deal velocity while managing risk across US and EU operations.

You will collaborate with Sales, Finance, and executive leadership to drive growth, implement governance, and ensure privacy and compliance across geographies.