In house Legal Counsel

Location: New York, NY | Schedule: Full-time (4 days in office + 1 remote day) or Part-time consulting | Compensation: In-House Full Time $135K+ / Part Time at an hourly rate to be determined (compensation based on experience, qualifications, and skill set)

Overview

Our client, a prominent design-focused professional services firm, is seeking a detail-oriented Legal Counsel to manage its legal operations and professional insurance program. The successful candidate will review complex commercial contracts, mitigate design-liability risks, and manage a comprehensive insurance portfolio while serving as a strategic advisor to executive and design teams, ensuring projects align with state licensing laws, building regulations, and risk-management best practices.

What you'll do

• Draft, review, and negotiate owner-architect agreements (including AIA Contract Documents), interior design purchasing agreements, consultant contracts, and vendor terms
• Manage the firm's insurance portfolio, including Professional Liability (Errors & Omissions), Commercial General Liability, and Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
• Identify and resolve potential design liability issues, construction administration disputes, and project delay claims before they escalate
• Protect the firm's proprietary designs, custom furniture concepts, and digital assets through copyright, trademark, and robust non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)
• Monitor corporate compliance, sales tax obligations on FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment), and multi-state professional licensing requirements for designers and architects

Required qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
• Active member in good standing with the State Bar Association
• 4 to 7 years of legal experience, specializing in construction law, real estate development, or design-professional liability
• Deep understanding of the architectural/interior design lifecycle, procurement risks, mechanics' liens, and standard industry insurance structures

Preferred qualifications

• Experience ideally split between a law firm and an in-house setting

Compensation and benefits

• In-House Full Time: $135K+ annually
• Part Time: hourly rate to be determined
• Compensation based on experience, qualifications, and skill set

Why this role

This position offers the opportunity to act as a strategic legal advisor at the intersection of design, construction, and risk management, with flexibility between full-time and part-time consulting arrangements.