Lead Counsel, M&A (Washington)

Lead Counsel, M&A / Strategic Transactions

Location: Bellevue, WA (4 days in office) Experience: 5-8 years PQE RTO: 4 days in office (with flexibility)

The Company

A publicly traded, Fortune 100 technology and telecommunications company headquartered in Bellevue, WA. Over 110 million customers, approximately $80B in annual revenue, and 75,000+ employees. One of the most active acquirers in its sector, running deals at significant pace and scale through a dedicated Corporate Development team.

The Role

This is a deal‑leading position embedded directly with the Corporate Development group, not a legal department support role. The lawyer in this seat sits physically with the deal team on the floor below the C‑suite and serves as a primary legal contact to the business.

The hiring manager has been direct: she is looking for someone she can develop into a senior leader and eventual successor. That is the actual plan, not a talking point.

What You Will Own

• Lead M&A, joint venture, and strategic transaction work, including acquisitions and JVs with PE‑backed companies
• Serve as primary legal contact to Corporate Development; clients come directly to you
• Negotiate purchase agreements, JV agreements, and ancillary deal documents
• Manage deal workflow end to end: intake, structuring, diligence coordination, drafting, closing
• Work alongside two other lawyers at the same level focused on spectrum matters; the M&A lane is yours

Team and Structure

Three lawyers currently cover M&A on this team. This hire brings it to four. One principal sits above senior counsel level. You report to the Director of M&A and Spectrum Transactions within Legal Affairs, who reports to the SVP and Deputy General Counsel.

Four days a week in office in Bellevue. Pace is deal‑driven: approximately 50‑hour weeks at peak, drops to 30 when quiet. Not a grind culture, but you move when the deal requires it.

The physical seat is with Corporate Development, not legal. The expectation is business partner first, lawyer second. That orientation is a prerequisite.

What We Are Looking For

• 5-8 years of total PQE with a demonstrable focus in M&A / corporate transactions
• 3 years training at an AmLaw100 firm
• Has led or co‑led deals in a meaningful way, not purely diligence support
• Comfortable as the primary legal contact to a business client, with work coming directly, not always routed through a partner
• Deal types: acquisitions, JVs with PE‑backed companies, strategic transactions
• Executive presence and comfort operating near C‑suite stakeholders
• Telecom or tech sector experience is a plus, not a requirement
• AI tool usage in practice is a strong differentiator
• Clean references are mandatory

Why This Role

• A direct path to senior leadership with a hiring manager invested in your development
• You sit with the deal team, not in a legal silo; C‑suite exposure comes with the seat
• BigLaw‑caliber work without the BigLaw hours
• Deal ownership from day one, not support layered under a partner
• Bellevue offers a real quality‑of‑life shift for anyone relocating from a major metro