ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Contracts Counsel Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Atari

In-House Contracts Counsel

OR · On-site +1

$140K - $160K/yr

In-House Contracts Counsel Location: Remote About Us Atari, one of the world's most iconic entertainment brands, is a pioneer in interactive entertainment. With operations spanning gaming, e-commerce ...

Atari

In-House Contracts Counsel

$140K - $160K/yr

In-House Contracts Counsel Location: Remote About Us Atari, one of the world's most iconic entertainment brands, is a pioneer in interactive entertainment. With operations spanning gaming, e-commerce ...

Code Metal, Inc.

Provide legal counsel and day-to-day management across the acquisition lifecycle: evaluate major proposals, monitor large contracts, lead or support key negotiations, resolve performance issues, and ...

Tailored Brands

VP Contracts Counsel

Dublin, CA · On-site +1

About the Job We currently have an exciting opportunity for an attorney to join our Corporate Legal team as VP, Contracts Counsel. This individual will provide legal counsel and support in connection ...

previous page

Showing results 41-60

All JobsLegal JobsLegal Specialist JobsContract Specialist JobsContracts Counsel Jobs

Contracts Counsel information

See salary details

$79.5K

$157.4K

$212.5K

How much do contracts counsel jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for contracts counsel in the United States is $157,356.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $130,000.00 and $183,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a contracts counsel do?

A Contracts Counsel is a legal professional who drafts, reviews, negotiates, and advises on contracts to ensure compliance with laws and company policies. They help mitigate legal risks, protect the organization's interests, and ensure that contracts are clear, enforceable, and aligned with business objectives. They often work closely with internal teams, external partners, and regulatory bodies to resolve contract-related issues and disputes.

What does a typical day look like for a contracts counsel?

A typical day for a Contracts Counsel often includes reviewing, drafting, and negotiating a variety of commercial agreements such as vendor, client, or partnership contracts. You may also provide legal advice to internal stakeholders, ensure contract terms comply with company policies and relevant laws, and manage contractual risks. Collaboration is frequent—you'll work closely with departments like procurement, sales, and finance to align contract terms with business needs. While much of the work is detail-oriented and requires careful legal analysis, you'll also have opportunities to contribute to process improvements and support broader compliance initiatives. This role is both collaborative and independent, offering a balance of teamwork and focused legal work.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contracts counsel?

To thrive as a Contracts Counsel, you need a deep understanding of contract law, strong drafting and negotiation abilities, and a Juris Doctor degree with active bar admission. Expertise with contract management systems, legal research databases, and, in some cases, certifications like CIPP or CCEP are highly beneficial. Outstanding attention to detail, persuasive communication, and the ability to work collaboratively across departments are vital soft skills. These competencies ensure effective risk mitigation, compliance, and positive business outcomes in dynamic legal environments.

How do I become a contracts counsel?

To become a contracts counsel, you typically need a Juris Doctor (JD) degree and admission to the state bar. Relevant skills include strong contract law knowledge, negotiation, and drafting abilities, often gained through legal internships or clerkships. Experience in corporate or commercial law is also valuable for this role.

What is a contracts counsel?

A contracts counsel is a legal professional who specializes in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts to ensure compliance and protect their organization's interests. They often work closely with business teams and may require knowledge of contract law, negotiation skills, and legal research. This role typically requires a law degree and bar admission.
More about Contracts Counsel jobs

What cities are hiring for Contracts Counsel jobs?

Cities with the most Contracts Counsel job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Contracts Counsel jobs?

The most popular types of Contracts Counsel jobs are:

What states have the most Contracts Counsel jobs?

States with the most job openings for Contracts Counsel jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Contracts Counsel jobs?

For Contracts Counsel jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Contracts Counsel jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contracts Counsel job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 16% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $157,356 per year, or $75.7 per hour.

Director, Government Contracts Counsel

Washington, DC • On-site

Coherent Corp.
See more jobs at Coherent Corp.external

Full-time

Posted 28 days ago

Job description


Primary Duties & Responsibilities
Enterprise Strategy and Governance
  • Establish and lead Coherent's enterprise-wide legal strategy for U.S. government and defense contracting.
  • Develop a comprehensive framework for identifying, reviewing, approving, and managing government-contract opportunities and obligations across the company.
  • Create consistent policies, processes, decision criteria, and escalation protocols for government-contracting activities.
  • Build visibility into existing government contracts and emerging opportunities across Coherent's business units.
  • Advise executive leadership on significant contractual, regulatory, compliance, and reputational risks associated with government programs.
  • Monitor regulatory and enforcement developments and determine their impact on Coherent's operations and business strategy.

Legal Counsel and Risk Management
  • Serve as the company's primary legal counsel on FAR, DFARS, agency supplements, CMMC, and other requirements applicable to federal and defense contracting.
  • Provide strategic legal guidance throughout the government-contract lifecycle, including opportunity assessment, proposal development, negotiation, performance, administration, and closeout.
  • Lead legal risk assessments for significant government programs and recommend practical mitigation strategies.
  • Draft, review, and negotiate prime contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, nondisclosure agreements, licensing arrangements, and other government-contract-related agreements.
  • Advise on mandatory and risk-based flow-down requirements and establish strategies for subcontractor and supplier compliance.
  • Support internal investigations, audits, disclosures, and compliance reviews involving government contracts.
  • Engage with the DoD, Department of State, other federal agencies, prime contractors, and external counsel on significant contractual or regulatory matters.

CMMC and Cybersecurity Compliance
  • Provide legal leadership for Coherent's CMMC readiness and broader government-contract cybersecurity compliance strategy.
  • Partner with IT, cybersecurity, engineering, and business leadership to interpret contractual cybersecurity obligations and establish clear ownership for implementation.
  • Advise on DFARS cybersecurity clauses, controlled unclassified information requirements, incident-reporting obligations, and related contractual risks.
  • Evaluate cybersecurity and CMMC requirements associated with new opportunities, business arrangements, and acquisitions.
  • Provide executive-level guidance on gaps, remediation priorities, and business risks related to CMMC readiness.

Business Partnership and Influence
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to business-unit and functional leaders pursuing or performing government-contract work.
  • Translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for nonlegal stakeholders.
  • Facilitate cross-functional decisions where legal requirements, customer expectations, operational needs, and commercial priorities may conflict.
  • Build relationships across decentralized business units and drive adoption of consistent enterprise standards without relying on direct reporting authority.
  • Provide practical, risk-based solutions that protect the company while enabling responsible business growth.
  • Develop and deliver targeted training for executives, program teams, engineers, IT and cybersecurity professionals, supply-chain personnel, and other stakeholders.

Education & Experience
  • Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school required.
  • Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar required.
  • Typically 10 or more years of progressively responsible experience in U.S. government or defense contracting, including meaningful in-house legal or counsel experience.
  • Significant experience advising on FAR, DFARS, DoD contracting, subcontracting, flow-down requirements, and government-contract compliance.
  • Demonstrated experience advising on CMMC or government-contract cybersecurity obligations.
  • Experience working within a public company, major defense contractor, or similarly complex and highly regulated organization strongly preferred.
  • Experience establishing or scaling a government-contracting or compliance program across multiple business units preferred.
  • Experience interacting with federal agencies, prime contractors, subcontractors, and senior executives preferred.

Skills
  • Advanced knowledge of U.S. federal procurement law, FAR, DFARS, CMMC, and defense-contracting requirements.
  • Strong business judgment and ability to distinguish material enterprise risk from lower-level compliance concerns.
  • Demonstrated ability to operate independently as a senior legal subject-matter expert.
  • Ability to build an enterprise capability in an environment where processes and governance are still developing.
  • Executive presence and credibility when advising senior leaders on complex or sensitive matters.
  • Ability to translate legal and regulatory requirements into practical, plain-English business guidance.
  • Strong influencing and relationship-building skills across a global, matrixed organization.
  • Ability to align stakeholders with competing legal, operational, technical, and commercial priorities.
  • Excellent negotiation, communication, training, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple high-priority matters in a fast-paced and evolving regulatory environment.
  • High degree of integrity, discretion, accountability, and professional judgment.

Scope and Impact
  • Serves as Coherent's principal internal legal authority for U.S. government and defense contracting.
  • Establishes standards and processes that apply across multiple businesses and functions.
  • Provides guidance on matters with potentially significant financial, operational, regulatory, and reputational consequences.
  • Influences senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
  • Operates as a Director-level individual contributor; direct reports are not required for the role's enterprise scope and impact.

Working Conditions
  • Hybrid or onsite work arrangement based on business needs.
  • Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment using standard office equipment.
  • Periodic travel may be required to support business units, leadership meetings, government engagements, audits, or program activities.

Physical Requirements
  • Onsite / Hybrid work
  • The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.

Safety Requirements
All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.
Quality and Environmental Responsibilities
Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.
Culture Commitment
Ensure adherence to company's values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:
Integrity - Create an Environment of Trust
Collaboration - Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas
Accountability - Own the Process and the Outcome
Respect - Recognize the Value in Everyone
Enthusiasm - Find a Sense of Purpose in Work
Coherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at talentacquisition@coherent.com.
About Us
Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Coherent provides a comprehensive career development platform within an environment that challenges employees to perform at their best, while rewarding excellence and hard-work through a competitive compensation program. It's an exciting opportunity to work for a company that offers stability, longevity and growth. Come Join Us!
Note to recruiters and employment agencies: We will not pay for unsolicited resumes from recruiters and employment agencies unless we have a signed agreement and have required assistance, in writing, for a specific opening.

Apply