New Opportunity: Corporate Counsel

Corporate Counsel
ABOUT THE COMPANY
With roots dating back to 1938, The Papé Group is the West’s leading supplier of capital equipment solutions. Today, Papé operates across nine states with over 4,000 team members, proudly representing premier brands including John Deere, Kenworth, Hyster, Ditch Witch, and more. What sets Papé apart is its commitment to long-term relationships, both with customers and employees. As a fourth-generation, family-led business, Papé believes in the value of a handshake, the importance of service, and the impact of leadership that stays close to the work.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Reporting directly to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), the Corporate Counsel will provide legal support for the company’s commercial operations, with a primary focus on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating customer agreements related to the sale, rental, lease, service, and maintenance of equipment. This role works closely with sales, operations, service, and finance teams to ensure that commercial transactions align with company policies, mitigate legal risk, and support business objectives.
The position requires strong contract negotiation skills, practical business judgment, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Commercial Contracting
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of customer-facing commercial agreements including equipment sales, rental and lease, service and maintenance, master service agreements, statements of work, and customer terms and conditions.
- Provide practical legal guidance on contract structure, risk allocation, and commercial terms.
- Ensure agreements comply with applicable laws, company policies, and risk tolerance.
Business Partnership
- Collaborate with sales, operations, service, and finance teams to facilitate efficient deal execution.
- Provide legal support during contract negotiations with customers and commercial partners.
- Advise internal stakeholders on legal and contractual risks and propose business-oriented solutions.
Contract Management & Process Improvement
- Develop and maintain contract templates and playbooks to streamline negotiations.
- Identify opportunities to improve contracting processes and reduce cycle time.
- Assist in the implementation and oversight of contract management systems.
Risk Management & Compliance
- Identify legal and operational risks in commercial agreements and recommend mitigation strategies.
- Ensure proper documentation of negotiated terms and approvals.
- Stay current on relevant legal developments affecting commercial transactions and equipment-related industries.
Additional Legal Support
- Assist the CLO with other corporate, compliance, and commercial legal matters as needed.
- Support dispute-resolution efforts related to customer contracts as needed.
Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
- Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction within the company’s footprint
- 5+ years of legal experience in commercial contracting, preferably in-house or at a law firm, supporting commercial transactions
- Experience supporting sales or commercial teams in a business environment
- Preference for experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating customer agreements involving sales of goods and equipment, equipment rental and leasing arrangements, service and maintenance agreements
- Preference for familiarity with UCC Article 2 and commercial equipment transactions
- Preference for experience implementing or working with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems
Skills & Competencies
- Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills
- Ability to balance legal risk with business objectives
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
- Ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
- Collaborative mindset with strong business partnership capabilities
Interested in Learning More?
180one is an executive search firm and is assisting Papé Group in this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com.





