Upwork ($UPWK) is the leading tech solution for companies looking to hire the best talent, maintain flexibility, and get more done. We’re passionate about our mission to create economic and social opportunities worldwide. Every year, almost $2 billion of work is done through Upwork by skilled professionals who prefer the freedom of working anytime, anywhere. Top companies connecting with extraordinary talent around the globe? That’s the future of work. Come help us build it.

Upwork’s Legal & Policy Team is comprised of a special group of professionals. Our team’s Mission Statement is to enable, accelerate and protect our business in a collaborative and innovative manner. Our team’s Core Values are Clarity, Communication, Collaboration, Compassion, Courage and Continuous Improvement. We also believe that exhibiting Trust, Feedback, Accountability, Inclusion and Self-Awareness are foundational behaviors that enable us to live up to our team’s Mission Statement and Core Values.

Our award-winning team loves to work on cutting-edge legal issues, generate creative business solutions to enable the company’s continued growth in a compliant manner, and enable the new world of remote work for millions of independent professionals and clients globally in over 180 countries. We also possess a passion for what we do. The Upwork legal team has been the recipient of The Recorder’s prestigious 2016 Legal Department of the Year (Emerging Companies) award. The team has also been recognized by The Financial Times as One of the Top 25 Most Innovative In-House Legal Teams in North America.

Upwork is voted #1 place to work in Chicago! - 2019

This unique in-house opportunity in Chicago is tailor-made for a rock-star commercial attorney who enjoys autonomy, thrives on making an impact and embraces being a problem solver. You will be working closely with Upwork’s commercial attorneys and others on the team to enhance our team, which has the highest of expectations and aspirations.. You will lead the negotiation, documentation and analysis of technology, licensing and sales agreements, with customers of all sizes and will directly interface with internal clients ranging from, among others, our Sales, Marketing, HR and Finance teams. This role will report to Legal’s Head of Commercial.

This team is one that believes each of its members is super equipped to figure out the hardest problems with minimal supervision. The team prides itself on being enablers for the business, our colleagues and our users -- their success is our success. We are not micromanagers, not know-it-alls, not the ‘sky is falling’ attorneys, and not empire builders. We like to laugh a bunch and not take ourselves too seriously. And we have some pretty cool team offsites too . . . .

Your Responsibilities:

• Review, draft and manage enterprise-sales-focused and vendor agreements.
• Help the commercial team scale by preparing, implementing, and refining forms, playbooks, systems, processes, and procedures.
• Influence and build relationships with executives, product teams, and peers across Upwork, particularly in our growing Chicago office.
• Collaborate with subject matter experts at Upwork to analyze and effectively communicate legal risks.

 What it takes to catch our eye:

• A minimum of five (5) to eight (8) years of experience with technology transactions relating to the Internet, SaaS and enterprise software.
• Experience in drafting, negotiating, and managing sales contracts, licenses, alliance and partnership agreements and intellectual property agreements.
• Prior in-house experience, especially at a top Internet / SaaS company
• Prior AmLaw 100 law firm experience.

How to really knock our socks off:

• A real passion for Upwork’s mission of providing economic opportunity so people have better lives.
• Strong oral and written communication skills—the ability to explain complex issues and concepts in straightforward, everyday terms
• Able to demonstrate close collaboration with stakeholders across a company
• Nuanced legal analysis and advisory skills to provide advice and options to meet business needs while protecting the company.
• Eagerness to collaborate cross-functionally with partners across the company.
• Ability to prioritize and juggle many projects effectively -- big and small -- in a fast-paced business environment.
• Track record of influencing others in challenging discussions.
• High emotional intelligence and self-confidence.
• Strong judgment. 
• Humility.
• Good sense of humor.

Come change how the world works.

At Upwork you’ll help shape the future of work. From our offices in San Francisco, Santa Clara and Chicago, together we’re creating exciting new opportunities for a world of professionals. You’ll be part of a vibrant culture built on shared values: Inspire a boundless future of work, Put our community first, Have a bias towards action, and Build amazing teams. Along the way you’ll have fun and enjoy the perks of a people-first company: Work from Home Wednesday's, daily breakfast and lunch, regular in-office happy hours, top-notch benefits … and more. Check out Upwork’s spotlight on The Muse for a glimpse of our daily work/life balance.

Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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