Legal Director

About the Role

Accela is seeking a proactive and business-minded Legal Director to support growing sales and services teams. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, this role serves as a key legal advisor on commercial transactions and revenue-generating activities. The ideal candidate brings deep experience negotiating complex SaaS and services agreements, particularly in the public sector, and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

This hands-on role requires strong business acumen, excellent judgment, and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives. You'll work closely with Sales, Services, Finance, and Operations to support deal flow and scale legal processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements including SaaS, software licensing, professional services, and maintenance contracts
• Partner with Sales and Services teams to drive deals to closure while maintaining compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
• Provide strategic legal guidance on RFPs, government procurement processes, and contract structures
• Develop and implement scalable legal processes and templates to support revenue growth
• Support cross-functional initiatives involving legal input, compliance, and risk management
• Stay current on laws, regulations, and industry trends affecting SaaS and public sector contracting
• Develop secondary expertise in privacy, compliance, or employment law to support broader legal team initiatives

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-accredited U.S. law school
• Active state bar membership, with California Registered In-House Counsel eligibility if not CA-barred
• 6+ years legal experience, including minimum 3 years in-house at technology or SaaS company
• Strong experience negotiating commercial contracts with government entities
• Solid understanding of SaaS business models and software licensing
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently in fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with collaborative, team-first mindset

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with revenue recognition principles and contract term impacts
• Experience supporting enterprise software sales and professional services engagements
• Exposure to privacy, compliance, or government relations