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Media, Journalism, Digital Publishing

Senior Counsel, Commercial

RemoteRemoteFull TimeSenior$175,000–$205,000 /yrPosted 24 days ago

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Required skills

  • commercial agreements
  • advertising sales
  • sponsorships
  • events
  • customer subscriptions
  • content licensing
  • vendor agreements
  • technology agreements
  • strategic agreements
  • commercial legal intake

Nice to have

  • law firm experience
  • digital media experience
  • IP
  • regulatory
  • operational issues
  • AI literacy

Role summary

Axios, a digital media company, seeks a Senior Counsel, Commercial to partner with revenue, product, and operations teams. This high-visibility role involves advising senior leaders, managing commercial matters end-to-end, and shaping solutions for new products and partnerships. Responsibilities include drafting and negotiating various commercial agreements (advertising, sponsorships, tech, etc.), managing legal intake and workflow, and providing business-focused advice on legal risks, privacy, IP, and regulatory issues. The ideal candidate is pragmatic, self-directed, possesses strong commercial judgment, and has 6+ years of relevant legal experience, including in-house commercial work. Experience in digital media and AI aptitude are strongly preferred. The role emphasizes independent operation, end-to-end ownership, and clear communication.

The big picture: Axios is a digital media company focused on breaking news and invaluable insights across business, technology, politics, and media. We are hiring a Senior Counsel, Commercial to join our collaborative legal team and serve as a key legal partner to our revenue, product, and operations teams.

Why it matters: This is a high-visibility, broad-scope role. You will independently counsel senior business leaders, own significant commercial matters end-to-end, and help shape practical solutions as Axios develops new products, partnerships, and growth opportunities.

Go deeper: We are looking for a pragmatic, self-directed attorney with strong commercial judgment who will:

  • Commercial Transactions & Workflow
  • Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements, including advertising sales, sponsorships, events, customer subscriptions, content licensing, vendor, technology, and strategic agreements.
  • Own commercial legal intake and workflow: prioritize and delegate work, improve playbooks and templates, and help implement self-service tools and automation to handle volume efficiently.
  • Commercial, Product, Sales & Marketing Counseling
  • Provide practical, business-focused advice that balances legal risk with commercial objectives and helps teams reach workable solutions.
  • Advise on new products and features, sales and marketing initiatives, advertising and sponsorships, new revenue opportunities, and day-to-day business matters.
  • Identify legal implications across privacy, IP, regulatory, and operational issues.
  • Provide practical privacy and data-use counseling, including DPAs, privacy policy updates, and data-use questions, and exercise judgment about when specialized support is warranted.
  • Handle routine commercial disputes and other business issues and escalate significant or high-risk matters thoughtfully.
  • Legal Team Leadership
  • Scope and manage outside counsel efficiently and translate legal advice into clear, actionable recommendations for business leaders.
  • Stay current on legal developments relevant to digital media and technology
  • Contribute to cross-functional and Legal team initiatives as needed.

    • Worthy of your time: Ideal candidates will embody an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for Axios’ mission. This position requires the following:

  • 6+ years of relevant legal experience, including significant in-house commercial experience; law firm experience a plus.
  • Experience advising on product, sales, marketing, advertising, sponsorships, and digital media matters; digital media experience strongly preferred.
  • Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, with a track record of independently leading sophisticated commercial transactions.
  • Broad issue-spotting skills and experience to identify and advise on legal and business risks beyond the contract.
  • Pragmatic risk assessment that balances legal protection with business agility and avoids over-lawyering.
  • Proven ability to operate independently, own matters end-to-end, and advise senior business leaders with sound judgment and confidence.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills and a collaborative, solution-oriented approach.
  • Ability to move quickly, prioritize competing demands, and communicate clearly and succinctly.
  • Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active admission to practice law, in good standing, in at least one U.S. state or the District of Columbia
  • AI aptitude and comfort using AI-enabled tools and workflows to work more effectively.

    • Starting salary for this role is in the range of $175,000 - $205,000 and is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to location, work experience, and skills. This range does not include other compensation and benefits. Axios' compensation philosophy takes into account cost of labor differentials across the country. Because this is a remote-optional job posting, this salary range takes into account all possible locations within the United States, but candidates will only be eligible for the salary range for their location.

    Axios is committed to embracing artificial intelligence as a core part of how we work. All team members are expected to actively develop AI literacy and use AI tools to enhance their productivity, creativity, and efficiency. We invest in ongoing learning to ensure every employee is equipped to responsibly and effectively integrate AI into their daily workflows.

    What Axios brings to the table besides salary:

  • 401(k) with employer match
  • Robust PPO and High Deductible health insurance options on the Blue Cross Blue Shield network
  • Employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution for the high-deductible health plan option
  • Dental and vision coverage
  • Primary caregiver 12-week paid leave
  • Generous vacation policy, plus holidays
  • One mental health day per quarter
  • Annual learning and development stipend
  • $100 monthly work-from-home stipend
  • Tele-mental health services through Headspace
  • OneMedical membership, including tele-health services
  • Personal health advocacy resources through HealthAdvocate
  • Inclusive fertility, hormonal health and family forming benefits through Carrot Fertility
  • Access to the Axios Employee Support Fund, which was created to allow employees to request financial support when facing financial hardship or emergencies
  • Increased work flexibility for parents and caretakers
  • Virtual company-sponsored social events
  • A strong and positive work environment
  • A commitment to an open, inclusive, and diverse work culture

    • Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

    Axios is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

    This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Axios makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

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