Role overview

Qualifications

Experience in consulting or professional services firms
Strong judgment and credibility
Hands-on orientation to lead while performing legal work
Understanding of commercial complexity and risk management

Responsibilities

Draft, review, redline, and negotiate various commercial contracts
Build the firm's legal operating model, including playbooks and templates
Lead end-to-end risk assessments and advise on enterprise risk
Coordinate legal readiness for client and partner diligence requests

Key facts

Remote from: Arizona (USA)
Full time
Entry-level / graduate
Corporate Counsel
English

Hard skills

Vendor Contracts Risk Governance Legal Technology Business Risk Management Regulatory Compliance Information Privacy Due Diligence Contract Management

Other skills

Leadership

About the company

Cornerstone Advisors

The Cornerstone Advisors team defines success by how well we improve the strategies, technologies and operations of our clients – and how well this translates into improved financial performance. Having worked with hundreds of national and international financial institutions, Cornerstone professionals have developed an expertise in how banks and credit unions operate and the best practices that enable high performers to succeed. We have also developed a comprehensive understanding of the technology providers that serve the financial services industry – what works, what doesn’t, and how an organization can best leverage its technology dollars. Formed by some of the financial industry’s most respected strategy and technology consultants, Cornerstone’s goal is to continue building an advisory firm that is legendary for the value we bring to financial services clients. Simply put, Cornerstone’s industry knowledge is unmatched, and our “no nonsense” approach to closing the gap between strategy and reality can help institutions improve their competitive position in the market. From strategy to execution – Cornerstone Advisors.

Company details

Company size201 - 500

Links

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Job description

Corporate Counsel

Location: Remote or at the firm’s Scottsdale, Arizona headquarters
Employment Type: Full-Time
Department: Legal
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Build the Legal Function and Own the Outcome:

Cornerstone Advisors is seeking a senior Corporate Counsel to stand up and scale our legal function. This is a high-impact role for an experienced attorney who has operated in, or closely alongside, consulting or professional services firms and understands the pace, risk profile, and commercial complexity of our business.

You will serve as the firm’s primary internal legal resource, partnering directly with the COO and executive leadership. This role is expected to participate as a member of the firm’s Operating Committee, contributing to enterprise-level decision making on risk, governance, and growth.

This is not a traditional in-house support role. You will build, own, and operate the firm’s legal capability, setting standards, reducing risk, and enabling the business to move faster with confidence.

We are looking for someone with the judgment, credibility, and hands-on orientation to lead, while still doing the work.

What You’ll Own:

Commercial Contracts Strategy and Risk Leadership:

Draft, review, redline, and negotiate MCSAs, NDAs, SaaS agreements, SOWs, vendor agreements, engagement letters, and related commercial contracts
Own positions on liability, indemnification, data use, IP, AI-related provisions, and confidentiality
Redesign and modernize template agreements, including a full refresh of the firm’s MSA
Develop practical risk frameworks that balance protection with commercial velocity

Legal Infrastructure & Operating Protocols:

Build the firm’s legal operating model from the ground up (playbooks, templates, approval frameworks, escalation paths)
Establish contracting standards, fallback language, and negotiation guardrails
Implement scalable systems for contract management, exception tracking, and knowledge capture
Identify and deploy tools (including AI-enabled solutions) to improve review speed and consistency

Enterprise Risk, Data, and Governance:

Lead end-to-end risk assessments across key business activities
Establish and refine data use policies, privacy considerations, and client-related data practices
Create structured approaches to risk identification, documentation, and mitigation
Participate in Operating Committee discussions, advising on enterprise risk, commercial strategy, and governance decisions
Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on enterprise risk decisions

Diligence, Transactions, and External Coordination:

Lead legal readiness for client and partner diligence requests (data rooms, documentation, response coordination)
Support M&A and strategic initiatives in partnership with external counsel
Act as the firm’s central point of coordination with outside law firms and third-party advisors
Ensure consistent quality, cost discipline, and alignment across external partners