Associate Director/Director - Commercial Counsel

Your Impact at LILA

As Associate Director/Director, Commercial Counsel at Lila Sciences, you will be a foundational member of the legal team, responsible for shaping and scaling legal capabilities in a fast-moving, frontier technology environment. This is a dynamic, high-ownership role focused on structuring and negotiating a wide array of commercial agreements, while also advising on legal and regulatory considerations surrounding artificial intelligence, scientific research, and cutting-edge technology development. You'll partner cross-functionally across science, engineering, business development, and operations to enable Lila’s mission to accelerate discovery with AI.

We're looking for an experienced, entrepreneurial attorney with 6–10 years of legal experience—someone who is excited to work at the intersection of law, AI, and science. You should thrive in environments that demand both precision and creativity, be comfortable navigating ambiguity, and bring a strong sense of judgment and empathy to collaborative problem-solving. If you're passionate about building scalable legal infrastructure, engaging deeply with novel technologies, and evolving the practice of law using AI, this is the role for you.

What You'll Be Building

• Draft, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial agreements (e.g., SaaS, IP licensing, vendor, partnership, and R&D collaboration contracts)
• Provide pragmatic legal counsel to internal stakeholders across the business, product, and science functions, balancing legal risk with strategic objectives
• Serve as a thought partner on regulatory and ethical considerations related to the use of AI in scientific and commercial contexts
• Help build scalable systems and workflows to streamline legal processes and amplify team impact using AI tools and automation
• Support strategic transactions and partnerships, rapidly developing expertise in new domains to ensure sound legal outcomes

What You’ll Need to Succeed

• J.D. and membership in at least one U.S. state bar in good standing
• 6+ years of legal experience, with substantial time in-house at a technology company
• Deep experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts
• Familiarity with AI, SaaS, and/or scientific R&D business models
• Ability to operate independently, manage multiple priorities, and communicate effectively across technical and non-technical teams

Bonus Points For

• Enthusiasm for transforming legal practice through AI and data-driven tools
• Prior work involving export-controlled technologies or CFIUS considerations
• Experience supporting R&D teams in life sciences, materials, or climate-tech domains
• Comfort with technical subject matter and scientific research environments
• Track record of building legal infrastructure or scalable processes from scratch