Senior Counsel, Transactional

BDO USA; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 185,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

BDO is seeking a Senior Counsel to support day-to-day transactional needs, including client engagement letters, MSAs, NDAs, procurement, and other commercial agreements. The role partners with internal clients to deliver compliant, strategic business solutions across the Firm.

Requirements include a JD, 5+ years of commercial and corporate experience, and law firm experience preferred. Strong communication and ability to handle multiple projects under deadline pressures are essential.

Qualifications

• JD required and bar in good standing.
• Five+ years of broad commercial and corporate legal experience.
• Three+ years in a law firm setting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Review and negotiate client engagement letters and other commercial contracts.
• Counsel internal clients to minimize legal risk.
• Support the OGC processes and templates for transactional work.
• Assist on real estate/leasing, financing, corporate matters, and M&A.
• Develop competency in additional areas as requested.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Legal risk counselling

Client advisory

Strategic partnership

Education

Juris Doctorate (JD)

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

SharePoint

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Senior Counsel will play an important role in supporting the Firm’s day-to-day transactional needs. This position focuses on representing the Firm in connection with a variety of transactional matters, including providing assistance to principals and other internal clients on the Firm’s client engagement letters, master services agreements, access letters, non-disclosure agreements, procurement, marketing/advertising, independent contractor and other commercial or client-facing agreements. The individual in this role will leverage skills as a strategic business partner and work with colleagues and internal clients to provide creative business solutions as permitted under applicable law, professional regulations and the Firm’s policies and procedures.

Job Duties

• Reviews, provides advice and negotiates legal matters pertaining to the Firm’s client engagement letters and other commercial transactions or relationships in a manner consistent with the Firm’s business decisions, policies and strategy
• Counsels internal clients to minimize legal risk associated with contractual and other business-related matters
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of, and complies with, the Office of the General Counsel’s processes, policies and templates with respect to support of transactional
• Supports fellow members of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and assists as needed on other matters, including real estate/leasing, financing, general corporate matters and strategic or other material transactions such as M&A
• Develops and demonstrates competency in additional areas of law as needed or requested by a Managing Director, OGC Transactional Practice, which may include regulatory, intellectual property, bankruptcy, privacy and security, or other areas of law
• Effectively communicates with OGC team members and various other internal and external parties with regard to the progress of matters
• Performs other related duties as required

Supervisory Responsibilities

• N/A

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Juris Doctorate (JD), required

Experience

• Five (5) or more years of broad commercial and corporate legal experience, required
• Three (3) or more years’ experience with a law firm required, Am Law 100 firm, preferred
• Proven record of professional excellence and achievement as a practicing attorney in good standing, required
• Experience supporting various commercial transactions and contracts, including negotiation of client-facing agreements, required
• Experience in-house within a corporation, professional partnership or other large business structure, preferred
• Experience (law-firm or in-house) supporting a professional/consulting services business, preferred

License/Certifications

• Member of a Bar in Good Standing, required

Software

• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, required
• Proficiency with PowerPoint, Excel and SharePoint, preferred

Other Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated record of providing substantive/technical legal advice and support to clients
• Forward-thinking and practical approach to negotiating and resolving transactional issues
• Positive client-service attitude
• Desire to be a part of a long-standing professional services organization with an appetite for growth and development of skills in new areas of the law
• Ability to use and become proficient with new software and technology implemented by the Firm for OGC use
• Strong verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Detail oriented, with excellent organizational skills
• Exercises good judgment
• Ability to be flexible and adaptive
• Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of personnel
• Able to maintain the highly confidential nature of information
• Able to work effectively within a demanding, deadline driven environment
• Capable of successfully managing multiple projects simultaneously and effectively to completion
• Ability to work effectively both independently and within a team environment

Individual salaries that are offered to a candidate are determined after consideration of numerous factors including but not limited to the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

National Range: $185,000 - $250,000

Maryland Range: $185,000 - $250,000

NYC/Long Island/Westchester Range: $185,000 - $250,000

About Us

At BDO, how we show up matters. We build strong relationships by supporting one another, our clients, and our communities with care, curiosity, and a commitment to helping one another grow and succeed. Here, you’ll find meaningful work, leaders invested in your success, and opportunities to build a career around what matters most to you.

Our purpose is to be the people our clients count on to grow with confidence and achieve what matters most. Our values guide how we bring that purpose to life each day. Together, they shape how we work with one another, serve our clients, and create meaningful impact.

BDO provides assurance, tax, and advisory services to clients across the U.S. and around the world. No matter your role, you’ll be part of a team helping clients navigate complexity and move forward with clarity.

As technology continues to shape how we work, BDO values the ability to apply generative and agentic AI solutions to develop work products, improve workflows and identify potential risks. Across our firm, we emphasize professional judgment in validating AI-generated outputs for accuracy, quality, and compliance.

We are proud to be an ESOP company, offering participants a stake in the firm’s success through beneficial ownership and a unique opportunity to enhance their financial well‑being. As a qualified retirement plan, the ESOP is a meaningful addition to our comprehensive compensation and Total Rewards benefits* offerings. It also reinforces an ownership mindset that strengthens our connection to one another, our clients, and the future we’re building together.

Learn more about our benefits: BDO Total Rewards encompass more than traditional benefits.

• Benefits may be subject to eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

"BDO USA, P.A. is an EO employer M/F/Veteran/Disability"