Senior Legal Counsel

Job description

OVERVIEW

Wolters Kluwer's is looking for a senior legal counsel with commercial and technology transactional/software license experience.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBLITIES

The Senior Legal Counsel is a member of the Wolters Kluwer Legal team of lawyers, paralegals and contract managers who support Wolters Kluwer's businesses. Specific accountabilities and responsibilities are expected to include the following:

* Providing hands-on legal assistance in structuring and drafting, negotiating, interpreting, managing and enforcing complex and high value commercial transactions, including (i) customer arrangements (including the preparation of master services agreements and related statements of work), (ii) partnering, reseller, joint venture and strategic alliance arrangements, (iii) vendor and consulting agreements, and (iv) licensing and software arrangements (including SaaS services and related implementation agreements), business rules, content or data procurement (via inbound licenses or purchases), software procurement and development and IT services procurement agreements, and other types of high value licensing-in and licensing-out arrangements.

* Providing comprehensive legal counseling regarding a broad spectrum of corporate, commercial, and intellectual property matters impacting, including matters and legal issues related to software licenses, SaaS services, and financial services.

* Counseling on litigation and regulatory and compliance matters impacting the Wolters Kluwer's businesses, including data privacy regulations, sanctions (e.g. U.N. and U.S. Sanctions Programs) and FCPA.

* Effectively managing outside counsel (in the US and abroad) in a cost-effective manner who may support certain Wolters Kluwer's legal needs, whether transactional, litigation or compliance in nature, and appropriately work with other attorneys within the WK Law Department who may also be involved in supporting certain matters and managing outside counsel (e.g., litigation, HR matters, certain IT/IP areas).

* Developing a strong rapport and working relationship with the Wolters Kluwer's management teams to help drive the delivery of effective and high quality legal services which are appropriately linked to the relevant business needs, while at the same time helping drive greater consistency of approach and standards throughout the Wolters Kluwer's businesses.

* Helping to educate the various business, IT and Sales teams in Wolters Kluwer's about contracting forms, intellectual property rights and obligations, commercial and legal risks and internal contract review and approval procedures and best practices.

* Working with the Wolters Kluwer's Legal team on process and commercial contracting improvements within Wolters Kluwer, to help create greater consistency and process within Wolters Kluwer in general, including appropriate contract standardization, contract management and contracting process improvement for existing, new or acquired business units and product lines including the use of contract management and collaboration software and other technology.

* Developing an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Wolters Kluwer's businesses, their people, organization, markets, products, technologies, customers, competitors and regulatory environment, in order to identify trends, spot potential issues and provide high level legal/commercial advice to the businesses.

* Performing other special assignments or projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Law degree (J.D. or L.L.B. or equivalent degree) from a nationally recognized educational institution, or relevant equivalent experience.

Experience:

* 7+ years of progressively responsible corporate/commercial legal experience
* Experience must include a nationally recognized law firm or the corporate law department of a medium-to-large-sized company.
* Experience must include hands-on drafting and negotiation of sophisticated domestic and international commercial contracts and technology agreements, including software license and support agreements, software-as-a-service (SaaS) agreements and consulting agreements (master agreements and statements of work)
* Experience conducting negotiations in a global, matrixed environment and managing urgent priorities from multiple stakeholders
* Experience identifying risks and key issues and providing practical legal advice to business clients

Capabilities:

* Strong intellect, excellent legal acumen and rigorous analytical skills
* Superior legal drafting and negotiating skills
* A "can do" solutions orientation
* Excellent communications, organizational and management skills
* Technical knowledge, interest and proficiency