Description:

About the role:
Rippling is looking for a thoughtful, highly-motivated, business-minded attorney to join our Legal & Compliance Team as Associate Commercial Counsel. In this role, you will partner closely with the commercial team, the privacy team, procurement and sales to support negotiation, drafting, and management of a wide range of commercial agreements. This is a great opportunity for an attorney who wants hands-on ownership of deals, direct exposure to business stakeholders, and room to grow into a broader commercial practice. You'll report to our Assistant General Counsel, Commercial.

We are looking for someone who is proactive, collaborative, and comfortable balancing speed with sound judgment in a rapidly-evolving environment. You are ready to learn fast, act fast, and make an impact from Day 1. This role is a great fit for someone who also thinks operationally about legal work. We love fresh perspectives and welcome your thoughts on building and improving processes.

What you will do:

Partner with sales, account management, and other legal teams to support commercial negotiations and help move deals forward
Review and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements, including SaaS/licensing agreements, SOWs, NDAs, vendor and procurement contracts; expand into partnership contracts
Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice on contract terms, liability, indemnification, data privacy, and IP provisions
Manage a high volume of contracts efficiently, prioritizing based on deal size, risk, and urgency
Help maintain and improve contract templates, playbooks, and negotiation guidelines
Track contract obligations and support internal processes for contract lifecycle management
Escalate novel or higher-risk issues to senior counsel with clear analysis and recommendations
Support ad hoc legal projects as needed (policy updates, training materials, process improvements)
Leverage AI to help build scalable processes

What you will need:

J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing (or eligibility to register as in-house counsel in your jurisdiction)
2–3 years of relevant experience in commercial contracting, either at a law firm or in-house
Strong drafting and negotiation skills, with the ability to translate legal risk into practical business terms
Familiarity with core commercial contract concepts: limitation of liability, indemnification, warranties, IP ownership/licensing, confidentiality, and termination
Ability to manage a high volume of contracts independently and prioritize competing deadlines
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain legal concepts clearly to non-lawyers
Strong judgment about when to resolve an issue independently versus escalate
Ability to work cross-functionally in a fast-paced environment

Nice to Have: