Senior SaaS Commercial Counsel — Remote (US)

Canto; Provo (UT); Remote; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Canto is seeking a first‑in‑house Commercial Counsel to build and scale our modern contracting function. You will design and operate AI‑enabled processes that accelerate deal velocity and reduce friction across Sales, Finance, and leadership.

This role reports to the CFO and focuses on strategic growth through strong contract governance. As the primary legal partner, you will implement CLM, templates, playbooks, and governance while negotiating MSAs, DPAs, NDAs, and subscription agreements.

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.

Responsibilities

• Drive Commercial Contracting & Sales Enablement.
• 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.
• Own & Scale Contracting Operations.
• 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.
• Manage Risk Across Vendor Relationships, Privacy, and Governance.
• 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.
• Lead the Legal Function
• 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

Contract negotiation

Data privacy

SaaS experience

Independent operator

Sales partnership

Education

JD + bar admission

Tools

CLM systems

AI-enabled tools

Job description

Canto is seeking a first‑in‑house Commercial Counsel to build and scale our modern contracting function. You will design and operate AI‑enabled processes that accelerate deal velocity and reduce friction across Sales, Finance, and leadership.

This role reports to the CFO and focuses on strategic growth through strong contract governance. As the primary legal partner, you will implement CLM, templates, playbooks, and governance while negotiating MSAs, DPAs, NDAs, and subscription agreements.