Contract Management Senior Analyst in Chicago, Illinois at Sidley Austin LLP

Contract Management Senior Analyst

The Contract Management Senior Analyst will assist the Contracts & Compliance Attorneys in managing the project workflow of client Outside Counsel Guidelines (OCGs), Client-Driven Engagement Letters, Data Processing Agreements, and Questionnaires from initial receipt and identification of issues to finalization of documents. The Contract Management Senior Analyst will be a central point of contact, working directly with the firm Partners and inter-department Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) such as IT Risk, Financial Terms Management, Diversity, Data Privacy, Records, and others. The Contract Management Senior Analyst will summarize areas of concern with client engagement terms in a written document, communicate issues to the appropriate Contracts & Compliance Attorney, and manage the workflow process, while eliminating delays. In addition, the Contract Management Senior Analyst will draft the firms responses to client vendor surveys and questionnaires, and will be responsible for submitting the responses by stated deadlines.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Research new client documents against the clients current and prior agreements and the firms standard positions, including previously negotiated terms and approved exceptions; prepare side-by-side comparisons or issue summaries of client OCGs; and transfer over redlines from current agreements to new agreements.
• Identify non-standard, high-risk or conflicting terms (e.g., audit rights, insurance requirements, data security, AI restrictions, and staffing and billing restrictions), including inconsistencies across multiple engagement letters and client documents for the same client, and flag them for attorney review.
• Timely and efficiently request the firms SMEs to review, comment on, complete or edit client documents, and maintain clear lines of communication and follow-ups to avoid delays, meet requested deadlines, and ensure timely completion of review and negotiation of engagement terms.
• Review feedback from the firms SMEs on new or updated OCGs, and draft cover emails, issue lists, proposed language and suggested emails for the lawyer to send to the client and/or Partner, using previously approved fallback positions and precedent.
• Review marked-up documents returned by clients, comparing the documents to firms version, to determine outstanding issues.
• Manage the process for client surveys, questionnaires, and RFPs through completion by stated deadlines, including preparing first-pass responses using the firms response library.
• Build and maintain a repository of precedent language and approved responses to frequently raised issues.
• Maintain tracking logs and the document management system (e.g., NetDocuments) so that the status, version history and final executed copy of each agreement are accurate.
• Code negotiated terms accurately into Intapp Terms, and periodically audit entries for accuracy.
• Look for opportunities for process improvements, bring those suggestions to the attention of the Contracts & Compliance Attorneys, and prepare and update processes and procedures documentation.
• Provide excellent customer service to our attorneys, clients, and other Firm personnel.
• Escalate legal and ethical questions to the appropriate attorneys; this role does not provide legal advice.

Education and/or Experience:

Required:

• Bachelors degree
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects with many stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing with senior management
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat

Preferred:

• Billing, conflicts, or compliance experience in large law or professional service environment
• Working knowledge of Outside Counsel Guidelines / Billing Guidelines / Engagement Terms
• Experience with InTapp Terms

Other Skills and Abilities:

The following will also be required of the successful candidate:

• Strong organizational skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Good judgment
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Able to work harmoniously and effectively with others
• Able to preserve confidentiality and exercise discretion
• Able to work under pressure
• Able to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines and priorities

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The target salary range for this role is:

$85,600 - $117,700 if located in Illinois.

Salaries vary by location and are based on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the relevant market, skills, experience, and education of the selected candidate. Our compensation package also includes bonus eligibility and a comprehensive benefits program. Benefits information can be found at Sidley.com/Benefits.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the Duties and Responsibilities above satisfactorily and meet the requirements. The requirements listed above are representative of the minimum knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. If you need such an accommodation, please email sidleytalentacquisition@sidley.com (current employees should contact Human Resources).

Sidley Austin LLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sidley is an elite global law firm with a known reputation of deploying innovative strategies to achieve powerful results.