Contracts Counsel

Overview

The Contracts Counsel – India supports the Office of General Counsel as the primary point of contact for contract drafting, review, negotiation and contract-related legal support across multiple jurisdictions, including US, Canada, El Salvador, India and Chile.

What you'll do

• Draft, review, redline and negotiate a broad range of contracts for RSM US LLP and its affiliates, ensuring clear documentation of rights, obligations, risk allocation and business intent.
• Handle general corporate agreements, services agreements, vendor and procurement contracts, NDAs, statements of work, amendments, addenda, order forms and other commercial documentation.
• Support employment-related contracts, independent contractor arrangements, extended workforce contracts and staffing/vendor documentation in coordination with Talent, Strategic Sourcing and relevant legal stakeholders.
• Review and negotiate real estate leases, leave and license arrangements, facilities-related contracts and location services documentation, coordinating with business and external counsel as needed.
• Advise on key contract provisions including indemnities, limitation of liability, confidentiality, data protection, intellectual property, insurance, termination, dispute resolution, governing law, audit rights and compliance obligations.
• Negotiate directly with counterparties or their counsel where appropriate and provide practical fallback positions to support efficient deal closure.
• Serve as the sole or primary Office of General Counsel contact for assigned contract matters, ensuring timely triage, review, escalation and resolution.
• Provide business-oriented legal advice on contractual risks, deviations from templates, approval requirements and mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate with U.S. and international legal stakeholders on matters involving multiple jurisdictions, cross-border contractual obligations or non-standard risk positions.
• Identify issues relating to privacy, information security, intellectual property, employment classification, tax, regulatory compliance, procurement, auditor independence and professional standards and route matters to appropriate subject matter experts where needed.
• Support contract-related disputes, claims, termination discussions, renewal issues and interpretation questions by reviewing obligations and advising on available contractual remedies.
• Ensure contracting positions are consistent with firm policies, delegated authority, risk appetite and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
• Develop, maintain and improve standard contract templates, clause libraries, playbooks, fallback positions and contracting guidance in coordination with the Office of General Counsel and relevant business teams.
• Promote consistency in contracting standards, approval processes, records management and use of approved forms across contract types and jurisdictions.
• Partner with Strategic Sourcing, Talent, Finance, IT, Real Estate/Location Services, Risk Management and other internal teams to streamline intake, review, negotiation, execution and renewal workflows.
• Support adoption and effective use of contract lifecycle management systems, AI contracting tools, tracking tools and reporting mechanisms.
• Prepare practical guidance, trainings and communications for stakeholders on contract review requirements, common risk issues and escalation protocols.
• Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and act as a responsive, practical and solutions-oriented legal partner for contracting matters.
• Collaborate with attorneys and business teams in the United States, India and other supported jurisdictions to align contracting outcomes with business priorities and legal standards.
• Manage competing contract priorities, communicate status clearly and escalate high-risk or time-sensitive issues appropriately.
• Support reporting to the Office of General Counsel on contract volumes, risk themes, bottlenecks, improvement opportunities and stakeholder service levels.
• Monitor legal, regulatory and market developments relevant to contracting, cross-border services, privacy, employment classification, real estate and vendor risk management.
• Conduct legal research and prepare concise summaries or recommendations on contract-related legal issues as required.
• Support other Office of General Counsel initiatives, special projects and contract-related governance activities as assigned.

What you'll need

• Bachelor's degree in Law from a recognized Indian university.
• Current Bar Council enrolment or eligibility to practice law in India.
• 10 years of post-qualification legal experience, preferably in an in-house legal department, multinational organization, professional services firm or reputed law firm with a strong commercial contracts practice.
• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements, vendor contracts, services agreements, NDAs, statements of work, employment-related agreements and independent contractor arrangements.
• Experience advising stakeholders directly on contractual risks, fallback positions, approval requirements and practical negotiation strategy.
• Ability to act as a senior individual contributor and trusted legal advisor for contract matters with limited supervision.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to build credibility with legal, business and functional leaders across jurisdictions.
• Proven ability to prioritize competing requests, manage urgent deadlines and communicate status and risk clearly.
• Business-minded, pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, professionalism and sound judgment.
• Strong knowledge of contract law principles and experience with commercial contracting across multiple agreement types and jurisdictions.
• Excellent drafting, redlining, negotiation and legal analytical skills, with the ability to identify legal and commercial risks and propose practical solutions.
• Working knowledge of key contractual concepts including liability allocation, indemnity, termination, confidentiality, data protection and privacy, intellectual property, service levels, audit rights, insurance, governing law and dispute resolution.
• Ability to support contracting matters involving procurement, employment, independent contractors, extended workforce, real estate leases, technology, professional services and general corporate arrangements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain legal concepts and contract risks in concise, business-friendly terms.
• High attention to detail, sound judgment, strong ownership and ability to manage multiple matters independently in a deadline-driven environment.

Nice to have

• Additional certification or demonstrated training in contract drafting, commercial law, privacy, technology contracting or negotiation.
• Experience supporting cross-border contracting matters or working with international or matrixed legal teams (strongly preferred).
• Experience coordinating with procurement, sourcing, HR/Talent, finance, IT, real estate/location services, risk management and external counsel teams.
• Exposure to data privacy, information security, auditor independence, professional services, technology, outsourcing or extended workforce contracting issues.
• Experience effectively leveraging AI tools in connection with contract drafting, redlining, analysis and negotiation (strongly preferred).
• Experience with contract lifecycle management tools, template management, matter tracking and Microsoft Office applications.

Details

• Location: Gurugram, India.
• Flexibility in schedule offered; competitive benefits and compensation package.