Associate Attorney

Associate Attorney – Fayetteville, AR Role: Entry‑Level Attorney – Associate Attorney (0–2 years) Location: Fayetteville, AR (On‑site) Department: Legal Employment Type: Full‑time Reports to: Senior Commercial Counsel Garver is an employee‑owned engineering, planning, and environmental services firm supporting aviation, transportation, buildings, federal, water and wastewater services, surveying, advisory services, and construction administration services. The Legal team partners closely with technical, business, and project teams to help the company deliver high‑quality professional services while managing legal and contractual risk. Position Summary Garver is seeking an entry‑level attorney to support a broad range of corporate and commercial legal needs. The role is well‑suited to a recent law school graduate or early‑career attorney eager to build a strong foundation in contract review and drafting, risk management, and practical in‑house counseling in a professional services environment. Key Responsibilities Review, draft, and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements such as professional services agreements, sub‑consultant agreements, NDAs, teaming agreements, and vendor contracts. Manage contract placement throughout the entire contract life cycle (review, negotiation, executive review, and close‑out). Support project teams with contract interpretation, compliance questions, and issue‑spotting throughout the project lifecycle. Assist with internal legal guidance on topics such as insurance, indemnity, general risk mitigation, and records/confidentiality obligations. Help maintain and improve contract templates, playbooks, document libraries, and internal guidance documents. Contribute to continuous improvement efforts, including training materials and process enhancements for contract intake and approvals. Qualifications (Required) J.D. from an accredited law school. Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (or currently awaiting bar results). Strong legal writing and drafting skills, with attention to detail. Ability to communicate clearly with non‑lawyers and work collaboratively with cross‑functional teams. Sound judgment, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple deadlines. Capacity to sustain high‑quality performance during peak demand periods and time‑sensitive review cycles. Strong commitment to maintaining strict confidentiality and applying prudent judgment in handling sensitive information. Comfort working in Microsoft Word with tracked changes. Qualifications (Preferred) Exposure to commercial contracting, construction law, engineering/professional services, procurement, and/or government/federal contracting. Familiarity with risk allocation provisions (indemnity, liability caps, warranties, insurance requirements). Internship/clinic experience in‑house or in commercial transactions. What Success Looks Like Produces clear, practical contract markups aligned with company risk tolerances. Builds trusted relationships with project managers, procurement teams, and leadership. Learns quickly, asks thoughtful questions, and escalates issues appropriately. Improves consistency and speed of contract review through templates and playbooks. Comfortable with a structured, extended onboarding and learning period, and willing to learn Garver’s contracting practices before operating independently. Benefits Company‑paid professional memberships. Support for industry licenses and continuing education. Competitive salary packages. Attractive benefits and comprehensive wellness program. Work‑life balance support. Garver is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. Employment practices are based upon an individual's capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category. #J-18808-Ljbffr