Senior Legal Counsel (Technology and Procurement)

Illinois Defense Counsel; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 272,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Trust is seeking a senior attorney to join the Legal Department's Procurement and Technology team, focusing on technology and AI-related contracts for a global financial services organization.

You will negotiate, draft, and manage vendor agreements, cloud/data licensure, and strategic transactions while ensuring regulatory compliance across multiple geographies. Hybrid work is available.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and licensed to practice where the role is located.
• Minimum 10 years of experience at a nationally recognized law firm and/or in-house.
• Proven track record drafting and negotiating technology contracts including software licenses, SaaS, data licenses and distributed ledger technologies.
• In-depth knowledge of regulatory aspects affecting contracts and cloud data.
• Experience in a regulated financial industry preferred (FRB, GDPR, CCPA, EU AI Act).
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and advisory skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication; capable of cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Support AI tool procurement and technology contract negotiations across the enterprise.
• Advise on vended AI tools, SaaS licensing, and data licenses.
• Develop and update template contracts, playbooks, and terms of use for technology initiatives.
• Collaborate with Data Privacy, Information Security, Risk, Compliance, and Tax teams.
• Lead negotiations for strategic technology transactions including licenses and reseller agreements.
• Provide legal support for technology initiatives and other Legal Department members.
• Monitor regulatory developments impacting procurement and technology programs.

Skills

Contract drafting

Tech contract negotiation

Regulatory awareness

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

About Northern Trust

Northern Trust, a Fortune 500 company, is a globally recognized, award-winning financial institution that has been in continuous operation since 1889.

Northern Trust is proud to provide innovative financial services and guidance to the world's most successful individuals, families, and institutions by remaining true to our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. With more than 130 years of financial experience and over 22,000 partners, we serve the world's most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

Role

As a member of Northern Trust's Legal Department, this attorney will be responsible for providing high quality legal advice and counsel to our senior management and business partners in a manner consistent with our enduring principles of service, expertise, and integrity. The ideal candidate will be an attorney with broad experience in technology and procurement matters for a global financial organization, including general commercial contract negotiations, SaaS and licensing contracts, client facing technology tools and products, cloud and on-prem technologies, distributed ledger technology, and artificial intelligence. The candidate will work in the Legal Department's Procurement and Technology team and support business partners across the enterprise on a wide range of legal issues, including vended AI tools, technology licensing, new product development, and the applicable regulatory landscape that applies to financial institutions operating across multiple geographies. The position will report to an Assistant General Counsel.

The key responsibilities of the role include

• Support the Procurement and Technology legal team's efforts to accelerate Northern Trust's responsible adoption of AI consistent with legal and regulatory requirements and client and supervisory expectations.
• Advise business units, technology engineers, product development teams and business unit legal teams in the development, negotiation and support of vended AI tools, client facing contracts involving technology products and concepts (e.g., SaaS; software licenses; data licenses; distributed ledger technology; federated single sign on).
• Develop and update template contracts, playbooks, terms of use, and other terms and conditions related to technology initiatives and products (e.g., Northern Trust web portals and platforms, APIs, other software) for use by business units across the enterprise.
• Collaborate with and provide legal support to other cross functional teams and SMEs (e.g., Data Privacy, Information Security, Risk, Compliance, Tax), including in other jurisdictions, as needed.
• Advise and contribute to committees and working groups (e.g., IT Risk; Cloud governance; AI) focused on new technology initiatives at the bank.
• Advise and lead negotiations around strategic transactions including complex license agreements, reseller agreements, and other corporate development arrangements.
• Provide legal support for technology related corporate initiatives as requested and support other Legal Department team members; and
• Advise on legal and regulatory developments that impact Northern Trust's procurement organization and technology initiatives and adapt template contracts and playbooks as needed.

Skills/Qualifications

• Must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school and must meet attorney licensing requirements in the jurisdiction in which the position will be located, prior to and after commencing employment.
• Minimum combined ten (10) years of experience at a nationally recognized law firm and/or in-house legal department advising clients in relevant areas.
• Proven record of independently drafting, negotiating, and reviewing various types of technology contracts and agreements, including software licenses, distributed ledger technologies, managed services, and on-prem and SaaS license agreements, with an appreciation of the issues on both the vendor and client sides.
• In-depth experience with the legal and regulatory aspects that can impact contract requirements, including familiarity with the impacts of placing data in the cloud. Financial Industry regulations preferred (e.g., FRB SR23-4, PRA SS2/21, GDPR, CCPA, DORA, EU AI Act).
• Experience working for a regulated industry, financial industry preferred.
• Ability to work cooperatively with all levels of the organization and provide legal advice and counsel on a wide range of technology-related matters.
• Ability to conduct in-depth legal analysis and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage relationships with business partners, clients, and outside counsel.
• Current knowledge of applicable existing and upcoming regulations impacting the banking industry highly desired.

***Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Northern Trust will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa)

Working Model

Hybrid. We have a balanced hybrid working model to ensure you get the flexibility you need, and the successful candidate will spend their time between working in the office and working from home.

Salary Range

$160,100 - 272,300 USD

Salary range is a good faith estimate of base pay. Northern Trust provides a comprehensive benefits package including retirement benefits (401k and pension), health and welfare benefits (medical, dental, vision, spending accounts and disability), paid time off, parental and caregiver leave, life & accident insurance, and other voluntary and well-being benefits. Northern Trust also provides a discretionary bonus program that may include an equity component.

Working with Us

As a Northern Trust partner, greater achievements await. You will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture in an organization where financial strength and stability is an asset that emboldens us to explore new ideas.

Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to assisting the communities we serve! Join a workplace with a greater purpose.

We'd love to learn more about how your interests and experience could be a fit with one of the world's most admired and sustainable companies! Build your career with us and #MadeForGreater.

Reasonable accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [e-mail].

We hope you're excited about the role and the opportunity to work with us.