Senior Corporate Counsel

Great design carries real stakes, for the client, for the firm, for the people who use what we build. We're looking for a Corporate Counsel who can partner with our design teams and advise firm leadership, handling everything that protects the work, from the contract that starts a project to the risk, insurance, and legal questions that come with seeing it through.

ABOUT THE JOB

Ankrom Moisan is an award-winning architecture and interior design firm of 100+ people, with studios in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, and Austin, working across housing, senior communities, healthcare, hospitality, workplace, and retail. We're looking for a Senior Corporate Counsel to manage the contracts and legal matters that keep our work moving and our firm protected, serving as our in-house subject-matter expert and working alongside outside counsel as the work requires.

This is a business-focused legal seat, not a paper-pushing one. You'll own the full contract lifecycle for our client and consultant agreements, negotiating the terms that actually move risk (standard of care, indemnification, limitation of liability, waiver of consequential damages, IP, dispute resolution) so project teams can move forward with confidence and the firm gets paid for the work it does. Contracts are the core of this role, and you'll be the person teams rely on to get them right, quickly and consistently.

Beyond contracts, you'll be the firm's go-to legal expert across a range of matters, from risk and compliance to insurance, employment, disputes, and governance. You'll advise leadership directly on much of this and work alongside outside counsel on specialized or higher-stakes matters, helping the firm bring in the right expertise at the right time. Leadership will rely on your judgment to weigh risk against business reality and give clear, practical answers people can act on.

You'll report to the CFO as part of the Business Operations team, partner closely with firm leadership, project teams, finance, and outside counsel, and manage a Contract Specialist.

This is a Portland-based hybrid role, in-office a minimum of two days per week, ideally on our anchor days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

INTRODUCTIONS FIRST!

You -

• Read risk the way a designer reads a site, taking in the whole picture and spotting what others miss.
• Give practical, timely guidance that helps non-lawyers make good decisions and keep the work moving.
• Build trust through honest, independent counsel, even when it's not the easy answer.
• Move contracts efficiently without ever loosening the terms that protect the firm.
• Balance revenue and risk with sound judgment, and know when to hold a line and when to find the deal.
• Bring steady judgment and discretion to sensitive, high-stakes situations.
• Communicate clearly with leaders, project teams, and outside counsel alike.
• LOVE what you do, and it shows every day!

Us -

• We produce award-winning architecture and interior design across housing, senior communities, healthcare, hospitality, workplace, and retail. Design is in our DNA.
• We foster a collaborative, inclusive, ego-free culture filled with curious people who care about craft and about each other.
• We inspire and empower our people to explore beyond the expected.
• We work with purpose to improve the world we share.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Own the full contract lifecycle for client and consultant agreements, from initial review through negotiation, execution, and renewal.
• Serve as day-to-day counsel to leadership, departments, and project teams, translating legal complexity into decisions people can act on.
• Advise leadership and project teams on a broad range of legal, risk, and compliance matters, and represent the firm with outside counsel on specialized or higher-stakes issues.
• Lead negotiation of key risk provisions across client and consultant agreements: standard of care, indemnification, limitation of liability, waiver of consequential damages, IP, dispute resolution, and insurability alignment.
• Establish and enforce firmwide contract risk guidelines, including clear escalation protocols when terms fall outside approved thresholds.
• Develop and maintain policies that support compliance and reduce risk, and drive down contract cycle times without loosening risk standards.
• Manage the firm's insurance program and professional liability profile, leading procurement and annual renewals with brokers and finance, and representing the firm with outside counsel on disputes, claims, mediation, arbitration, and litigation.
• Prepare and deliver training for project teams and business partners on contract administration, risk management, and legal compliance in a design environment.
• Steward corporate governance and maintain business registrations and licensure across the jurisdictions where the firm operates.
• Provide oversight and direction for the Risk function, including direct supervision of the Contract Specialist.

WHAT YOU BRING

Must-Haves

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and an active license to practice in at least one U.S. state.
• 7+ years of legal experience with a strong emphasis on contract review, drafting, and negotiation.
• Prior experience advising senior leadership on complex legal matters.
• Unquestioned integrity and sound ethical judgment, with a track record of handling confidential and sensitive matters with discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, assess, and mitigate legal and business risk in commercial agreements.
• Sound judgment and the ability to advise non-lawyers clearly and practically.
• Comfort managing multiple priorities and moving work efficiently in a fast-paced environment.
• Meticulous attention to detail and a high bar for accuracy.

Preferred

• Prior in-house counsel experience.
• Active licensure in Oregon, Washington, or California.
• Experience in architecture, construction, engineering, or related professional services.
• Familiarity with professional liability, insurance, and multi-state compliance.

WHAT WE OFFER

A competitive starting base salary. The anticipated starting base salary range for this role is $140,000 to $175,000; pay offered dependent on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

Benefits that are designed to support your well-being, empower your growth, and invest in your long-term success:

• Flexibility that works: A hybrid schedule anchored on our midweek in-office days.
• Comprehensive health coverage: including 100% employer-paid employee medical, dental, vision, life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance. We also provide generous employer contributions for dependent coverage. Voluntary supplemental benefits are available as well, including pet insurance.
• A commitment to balance: Generous paid time off and flexible holidays that recognize the importance of rest and personal time.
• Recognition of tenure: A fully paid sabbatical after 10 years of service.
• Long-term financial security: A robust retirement package featuring both a 401(k) plan and participation in our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• Other benefits: Full technology setup for home office, plus a monthly technology/phone and parking reimbursement.

If you're a versatile lawyer who's ready to be the firm's go-to on everything from contracts to counsel, we'd love to hear from you!

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

We're committed to building a team that reflects a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We welcome applicants of all identities and believe that through diverse perspectives and a collective commitment to growth, our workplace and our work become better. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a protected veteran or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and provide accommodations upon request.