Lead Counsel

This role supports ICE’s global proprietary exchange data business by handling day to day contract work under the direction of the Associate General Counsel. The successful candidate will draft and negotiate commercial license agreements, work closely with the License Manager, own contract operations activity as part of the role, and help improve how the team uses technology, including AI tools, to move transactions efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Contract drafting and negotiation
  • Draft, review, and negotiate standard and moderately complex commercial data license agreements using approved templates and playbooks
  • Prepare first drafts and redlines for exchange traded product licenses and data feed agreements
  • Draft and negotiate software license agreements for the delivery of exchange data products, including SaaS, API, and hosted or on-premise terms
  • Address software license grants and restrictions, IP ownership, warranties, indemnities, limitation of liability, and open source or third party components
  • Provide legal support for client audits, reviews, and compliance initiatives through the identification, interpretation, and enforcement of contractual rights and obligations.
  • Escalate non-standard terms, risk positions, and regulatory questions to the Associate General Counsel
  • Maintain templates, clause libraries, and fallback positions
  • Track open transactions, approvals, and signature status through execution
• License Manager partnership and contract operations
  • Act as the day to day legal contact for the License Manager on customer requests, term deviations, and license scope questions
  • Perform contract operations functions as part of the role, including intake, workflow management, repository accuracy, renewals, and reporting
  • Support usage reviews, audits, and compliance with license terms
• Regulatory and exchange data support
  • Identify regulatory considerations (CFTC, FCA, ESMA, SEC) and exchange rule issues in license terms, and escalate as appropriate
  • Conduct legal research and prepare summaries to support the Associate General Counsel
  • Support digital asset product licensing work as directed
• Process and technology
  • Use and help refine AI tools for contract review, drafting, and intake
  • Recommend process improvements and track metrics such as turnaround time and transaction volume

Knowledge and Experience

• Law degree and an active license to practice law in New York, England and Wales, or another relevant jurisdiction
• Manager level: 4+ years of experience in commercial contracting. More junior level: 2+ years
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and issue spotting skills
• Hands-on experience drafting and negotiating software licenses, including SaaS, API, and hosted or on-premise delivery terms
• Working knowledge of IP, data, and technology licensing concepts
• Ability to manage a high volume of transactions with attention to detail
• Clear written and verbal communication with business and legal stakeholders
• Sound judgment on when to resolve a point and when to escalate
• Collaborative approach with the License Manager and commercial teams
• Adaptability and curiosity about new technology and regulatory developments

Preferred Knowledge and Experience

• Experience in financial services, market data, exchanges, or clearing
• Familiarity with derivatives markets and related regulation
• Experience with contract lifecycle management systems and AI contract tools
• Interest in digital assets and emerging products

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New York Base Salary Range 

The expected base salary for this role, if located in New York, is between $135,000 - 170,000 USD.  The base salary range does not include Intercontinental Exchange’s incentive compensation.  While we provide this range as general guidance, at ICE we compensate employees based on the skillset and experience of the individual. Regular full-time ICE employees are eligible for a suite of competitive employee benefits, including healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision), a 401(k) plan, life insurance, time off, and paid leave for qualifying circumstances.