Commercial Counsel - AssemblyAI

Why AssemblyAI

AssemblyAI builds the best-in-class Voice AI models powering the next generation of voice applications. Our models serve 600M+ inference calls monthly, process 1M+ hours of audio daily, and power 2 billion+ end-user experiences. The Voice AI space is at an inflection point; we’re looking for folks truly excited to join a small team and help define the future of the industry.

We are one of the most capital-efficient AI companies on the planet - with under 100 people generating roughly $500K ARR per employee, we sit among the top 5 most revenue-dense teams within the fastest-growing AI companies today. That's not an accident; it's a deliberate choice to stay lean, move fast, and give every person on the team outsized ownership and impact.

About the role

We are looking for a seasoned Commercial Counsel to join as the second hire on our legal team. Reporting directly to our Head of Legal, you will serve as the dedicated legal partner to our high-velocity enterprise sales organization and be the primary legal owner of Assembly’s entire commercial contracting lifecycle.

This role is hybrid, based out of our NYC office (2 days per week).

What You’ll Do

• Draft, review, and negotiate enterprise-grade Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Data Protection Addendums (DPAs), Business Associate Agreements (BAAs), and other commercial arrangements under tight deadlines.
• Negotiate privacy and data protection terms across commercial agreements, including identifying, addressing, and, where needed, escalating key issues arising under GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA, and other privacy regulations.
• Advise directly on AI-specific contract issues, including model training, intellectual property ownership, and AI data governance.
• Apply exceptional business judgment to determine which risks and liabilities the company can absorb or push back on—minimizing unnecessary redlines while protecting the business.

What You’ll Need

• Education & Admission: J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and active membership in good standing with the New York bar.
• Core Experience: 3–5 years of hands-on technology commercial contracting experience at a top-tier tech law firm or high-growth AI or SaaS startup.
• Mastery of Core Agreements: Deep expertise drafting and negotiating MSAs, DPAs, BAAs, and commercial agreements across from sophisticated enterprise counterparties.
• Commercial Pragmatism: Ability to balance risk against deal velocity, knowing exactly when to concede a point to close a deal and when to stand firm.
• Technical & Privacy Knowledge: Strong working command of global data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, HIPAA) and a sharp, up-to-date grasp of commercial AI considerations.
• High Autonomy & Execution: Self-sufficient operator comfortable carrying a high deal volume with minimal supervision in a fast-moving environment.