Sr. Counsel - Commercial Contracts

GEICO; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 166,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

GEICO seeks a Senior Counsel to lead strategic and complex commercial transactions, focusing initially on Marketing. You will draft, negotiate, and provide practical legal advice on a broad portfolio, partnering with marketing, product, technology, procurement, and other functions.

Location: Hybrid role (3 days onsite) in New York, NY or Bethesda, MD. Travel may be required to vendor negotiations and management meetings as needed.

Qualifications

• 8+ years advising on complex commercial and technology transactions.
• Strong ability to translate complex legal issues into practical guidance.
• Experience drafting, negotiating, and advising on marketing-related agreements.

Responsibilities

• Lead and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial agreements, including technology, SaaS, marketing, HR, claims, data, and professional services, with minimal oversight.
• Advise Marketing on advertising, media, sponsorship, agency, creative services, and related commercial arrangements.
• Partner with product, technology, procurement, and other legal divisions to support strategic initiatives and execute deals.
• Drive continuous improvement of contracting processes, tools, and policies, including adoption of CLM capabilities and data-driven performance metrics.
• Mentor junior attorneys and contract managers, managing workloads and professional development.

Skills

Strategic partner

Contract negotiation

Legal advisory

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor

Tools

Contract lifecycle management

AI in contracting

Job description

Why Join GEICO?

At GEICO, we offer a rewarding career where your ambitions are met with endless possibilities. Every day we honor our iconic brand by offering quality coverage to millions of customers and being there when they need us most. We thrive on relentless innovation to exceed our customers' expectations while making a real impact on local communities nationwide. Founded in 1936, GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and one of the largest auto insurers in the United States. When you join our company, we want you to feel valued, supported, and proud to work here. That's why we offer the GEICO Pledge: Great Company, Great Culture, Great Rewards, and Great Careers. GEICO, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, is one of the largest auto insurers in the United States. As GEICO continues to modernize its products, technology platforms, operations, and customer experience, the Legal Department plays a critical role in enabling strategic business initiatives while managing legal, regulatory, and commercial risk. GEICO is seeking a Senior Counsel to lead strategic and complex commercial transactions, with an initial focus on supporting Marketing. Reporting to the Director, Assistant General Counsel – Commercial Contracts, this role will serve as a trusted legal advisor and strategic partner to business, marketing, product, technology, and procurement leadership. The Senior Counsel will draft, negotiate, and provide practical, business-oriented legal advice on a broad portfolio of complex commercial agreements supporting GEICO’s products, services, operations, and growth initiatives, including marketing, advertising, media, sponsorship, agency, software, hardware, professional services, strategic partnership, and real estate transactions.

Location: Hybrid role (3 days onsite) in Bethesda, MD or New York, NY.

Key Responsibilities

• Support a high-performance legal team by coaching, mentoring, managing workloads, and contributing to the professional development of attorneys, contract managers, paralegals, and other legal professionals.
• Lead and negotiate a wide range of complex commercial agreements, including technology, SaaS, marketing, HR, claims, data, and professional services agreements, with minimal oversight.
• Serve as initial primary legal support for Marketing, advising on marketing, advertising, media, sponsorship, agency, creative services, technology-enabled marketing, data-driven marketing, and related commercial arrangements.
• Initially support Marketing as a primary area of responsibility, while rotating over time with other senior counsel attorneys, as directed by department leadership, across additional areas of responsibility, including IT, People, Finance, Real Estate/Facilities, Claims, Personal Auto, and Property & Commercial Lines.
• Serve as a key escalation point for complex, high-impact transactions and negotiations.
• Provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance that enables innovation while appropriately managing risk.
• Partner with leaders across product, technology, procurement, other legal divisions, and business teams to support strategic initiatives and execute deals.
• Drive continuous improvement of contracting processes, tools, and policies, including adoption of AI, automation, contract lifecycle management (CLM) capabilities, and data-driven performance metrics.
• Adhere to the Code of Conduct, company policies, and operating principles.
• Meets attendance standard at business location to perform necessary job functions and to facilitate interaction with management and co-workers.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Must be licensed in good standing to practice law in applicable jurisdictions and meet and maintain licensing requirements including mandatory Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements, where applicable.
• 8+ years of experience advising on complex commercial and technology transactions.
• Proven ability to operate as a strategic partner to senior business stakeholders.
• Significant experience drafting, negotiating, and advising on commercial agreements, including marketing-related advertising, media buying, sponsorship, agency, creative services, martech, data-driven marketing, promotions, and brand partnership agreements.
• Strong judgment, prioritization, and ability to translate complex legal issues into practical guidance.

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to travel as required, including attending vendor negotiations, management meetings, and conferences.
• Must be able to handle a substantial volume of work and work under pressure with multiple and shifting deadlines.
• Must be able to learn and apply substantial technical and procedural information.
• Must be able to work both independently and in a team environment.
• #LI-MD2

Annual Salary

$166,050.00 - $260,350.00 The above annual salary range is a general guideline. Multiple factors are taken into consideration to arrive at the final hourly rate/ annual salary to be offered to the selected candidate. Factors include, but are not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, the selected candidate’s work experience, education and training, the work location as well as market and business considerations. At this time, GEICO will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.

GEICO Pledge

• Great Company: Protecting customers through life's twists and turns with innovation and integrity.
• Great Careers: Personalized development programs, mentorship, and certification assistance.
• Great Culture: Inclusive and collaborative culture rooted in shared success.
• Great Rewards: Competitive pay, benefits, and flexibility to support your well-being and future.

The equal employment opportunity policy of the GEICO Companies provides for a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, disability or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. GEICO hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. GEICO reasonably accommodates qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to receive equal employment opportunity and/or perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the Company. This applies to all applicants and associates. GEICO also provides a work environment in which each associate is able to be productive and work to the best of their ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment. We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment with mutual respect by and for all associates and applicants.

At GEICO,we offer a rewarding career where your ambitions are met with endless possibilities. Every day we honor our iconic brand by offering quality coverage to millions of customers and being there when they need us most. We thrive on relentless innovation to exceed our customers' expectations while making a real impact on local communities nationwide. Founded in 1936, GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and one of the largest auto insurers in the United States.

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