What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate General Counsel position at William Vaughn?
A nationally recognized brand-driven operating company is seeking an Associate General Counsel to support commercial agreements, operational initiatives, compliance matters, and strategic business activities across a growing multi-channel business.
This role will partner closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams across operations, sales, finance, marketing, sourcing, and product development. The ideal candidate is practical, business-minded, and excited by the opportunity to operate as a true strategic partner within a collaborative and fast-moving environment.
Associate General Counsel Responsibilities:
- Manage the full lifecycle of commercial agreements including drafting, review, negotiation, execution, organization, and ongoing administration
- Support a wide range of agreements including vendor contracts, retailer agreements, distribution agreements, marketing partnerships, licensing agreements, service agreements, and operational contracts
- Partner closely with leadership and internal stakeholders to provide practical legal guidance on commercial, operational, and business matters
- Support legal review tied to product launches, sourcing initiatives, packaging, marketing, promotional activities, and retail partnerships
- Coordinate with outside counsel on commercial, employment, compliance, intellectual property, insurance, and corporate matters as needed
- Assist with development and improvement of internal legal processes, contract management procedures, and documentation standards
- Support internal governance initiatives, risk management activities, and evolving compliance requirements across the organization
- Monitor agreement obligations, renewals, reporting requirements, and key contractual timelines
- Partner cross-functionally with finance, operations, supply chain, and commercial teams to support business initiatives and operational growth
- Maintain organized legal records, documentation systems, and contract management files across multiple business functions
- Help streamline workflows and improve efficiency across legal and operational processes
Associate General Counsel Qualifications
- J.D. required
- 5-10 years of legal experience within an in-house legal department, law firm, or combination of both
- Experience supporting consumer products, retail, e-commerce, wholesale, manufacturing, licensing, or other product-driven business environments strongly preferred
- Strong experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and managing commercial agreements independently
- Experience partnering cross-functionally with business stakeholders in a fast-paced operational environment
- Ability to balance legal guidance with practical business decision-making
- Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
- Comfortable operating independently while supporting a collaborative and team-oriented environment
- Experience with contract management systems, legal operations tools, or workflow platforms preferred
- Intellectual property, licensing, retail, or marketing agreement exposure is a plus
Salary : $220,000 - $285,000