Senior Corporate Counsel

Descartes Unites the People and Technology that Move the World

The need for efficient, secure, and agile supply chains and logistics operations has become ever more critical and complex.

By combining innovative technology, powerful trade intelligence and the reach of our network, Descartes helps get goods, information, transportation assets, and people where they’re needed, when they’re needed.

We’re one of the most broadly deployed logistics and supply chain technology companies in the world. More than 26,000 customers around the globe use our cloud-based solutions to transform the way they move inventory and information to enhance productivity, better serve customers, thrive competitively, keep pace with evolving regulations, and respond to rapidly changing market conditions.

Descartes is publicly traded (Nasdaq : DSGX, TSX : DSG) with headquarters in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and offices and partners around the world.

With record financial performance for more than 16 years, we lead the industry in innovation investment. Every day, logistics service providers, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and other logistics-intensive businesses of all sizes rely on our scale, stability, and comprehensive solution footprint to move what’s most important to them. Learn more at .

We’re growing fast and invite you to join our amazing team.

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. is an established and rapidly growing software company in the Kitchener-Waterloo tech community seeking to add a Corporate Counsel to its growing legal team.

This role will provide broad exposure to a variety of matters related to the management and operations of an international publicly traded technology company.

Under the Supervision of the General Counsel, Your Responsibilities Will Include :

• Drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial agreements such as such as IT procurement contracts, software licensing, SaaS agreements, e-commerce, hosting arrangements, SLAs, NDAs, professional services engagements, contractor agreements
• Assisting in M&A activities including post-closing integration.
• Advising in multi-jurisdictional employment matters.
• Negotiating leases, sub leases and real estate agreements.
• Litigation management.
• Assisting the Marketing Department with events and venue agreements, external advisors, contests and insertion orders.
• Managing the company’s global intellectual property portfolio.
• Leading subpoenas and various types of minor claims to a successful resolution.
• Developing and revising agreement templates for various internal departments.
• Implementing and ensuring compliance with standard contracting processes and contract requirements.
• Monitoring legislative and regulatory changes in numerous jurisdictions and evaluating their impact on Descartes’ business operations.
• Assisting and managing external counsel retained by the company for dispute resolution.
• Assist as required on a wide array of corporate matters inherent to the day-to-day operation of a global organization.

Experience Required

• Law Degree and Membership in good standing in the law society of a Canadian province.
• Minimum of 7 years experience in drafting, negotiating and advising on a variety of commercial transactions and contracts.
• In-depth knowledge of commercial law in a variety of areas relevant to technology transactions.
• Experience in M&A.
• Experience in managing litigation.
• Experience advising in international employment matters.
• Good knowledge of trademark and copyright law.
• Strong experience in privacy law and good knowledge of worldwide privacy frameworks (GDPR, CCPA, UK GDPR, PIPEDA, etc.).
• Experience with marketing contracts, including event agreements, sponsorship, and venue agreements.
• Business acumen and ability to assess issues from non-legal perspectives when providing support to product managers and other business units.
• Experience with real estate and leasing agreements will be considered an asset.
• Experience working with a technology company is an asset.
• Managing legal professionals (junior lawyers; law clerks).
• Skills and Aptitudes Required
• Member of the Bar in one of the Canadian provinces.
• Sound judgment and a level of commercial sophistication gained from being on the frontlines of drafting and negotiating numerous types of transactions.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong work ethic and professionalism.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects at the same time, effectively adapt to changes in those priorities, and handle competing demands while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure and love of the challenges that arise in a very fast-paced tech environment.
• Highly organized, with a focus on time management.
• Ability to manage stress effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to adopt a flexible work schedule from time to time to accommodate international time zones and / or peak work periods.

LOCATION This is a fully remote position with an option to work from our headquarters in Waterloo.

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. is an established and rapidly growing software company in the Kitchener-Waterloo tech community seeking to add a Corporate Counsel to its growing legal team.

This role will provide broad exposure to a variety of matters related to the management and operations of an international publicly traded technology company.

Under the Supervision of the General Counsel, Your Responsibilities Will Include :

• Drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial agreements such as such as IT procurement contracts, software licensing, SaaS agreements, e-commerce, hosting arrangements, SLAs, NDAs, professional services engagements, contractor agreements
• Assisting in M&A activities including post-closing integration.
• Advising in multi-jurisdictional employment matters.
• Negotiating leases, sub leases and real estate agreements.
• Litigation management.
• Assisting the Marketing Department with events and venue agreements, external advisors, contests and insertion orders.
• Managing the company’s global intellectual property portfolio.
• Leading subpoenas and various types of minor claims to a successful resolution.
• Developing and revising agreement templates for various internal departments.
• Implementing and ensuring compliance with standard contracting processes and contract requirements.
• Monitoring legislative and regulatory changes in numerous jurisdictions and evaluating their impact on Descartes’ business operations.
• Assisting and managing external counsel retained by the company for dispute resolution.
• Assist as required on a wide array of corporate matters inherent to the day-to-day operation of a global organization.

Experience Required

• Law Degree and Membership in good standing in the law society of a Canadian province.
• Minimum of 7 years experience in drafting, negotiating and advising on a variety of commercial transactions and contracts.
• In-depth knowledge of commercial law in a variety of areas relevant to technology transactions.
• Experience in M&A.
• Experience in managing litigation.
• Experience advising in international employment matters.
• Good knowledge of trademark and copyright law.
• Strong experience in privacy law and good knowledge of worldwide privacy frameworks (GDPR, CCPA, UK GDPR, PIPEDA, etc.).
• Experience with marketing contracts, including event agreements, sponsorship, and venue agreements.
• Business acumen and ability to assess issues from non-legal perspectives when providing support to product managers and other business units.
• Experience with real estate and leasing agreements will be considered an asset.
• Experience working with a technology company is an asset.
• Managing legal professionals (junior lawyers; law clerks).

Skills and Aptitudes Required

• Member of the Bar in one of the Canadian provinces.
• Sound judgment and a level of commercial sophistication gained from being on the frontlines of drafting and negotiating numerous types of transactions.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong work ethic and professionalism.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects at the same time, effectively adapt to changes in those priorities, and handle competing demands while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure and love of the challenges that arise in a very fast-paced tech environment.
• Highly organized, with a focus on time management.
• Ability to manage stress effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to adopt a flexible work schedule from time to time to accommodate international time zones and / or peak work periods.

LOCATION

This is a fully remote position with an option to work from our headquarters in Waterloo. Open to applicants authorized to work in Canada.

Strong preference will be given to applicants in the Eastern Time Zone.