Legal Associate Jobs in Chicago, IL

Chowbus is a leading Asian restaurant technology SaaS platform, with deep roots in the North American market for years. Currently, we stand as a pioneering enterprise in the North American Asian Restaurant SaaS sector. Driven by precise market positioning and efficient product services, our business has achieved doubled growth annually, covering over 30 core states and 100 key cities across the U.S., and partnering with more than 10,000 Asian restaurants. We build tech ecosystems that help restaurants grow, serve with heart, and uplift their communities. Our vision is to create a world where culturally rooted food entrepreneurs thrive everywhere.

Legal Counsel is the first point of contact for legal at Chowbus. The role owns the commercial contract pipeline — vendor, partnership, integration, SaaS, hardware, NDAs, and merchant-facing terms — and serves as the in-house point of contact on merchant and commercial disputes, from franchise and termination matters to payment- routing and data-governance issues. You will not be expected to have every answer in- house; a core part of the role is knowing what can be handled against established playbooks and what should escalate to outside counsel, whose relationship and spend you will own. You will work directly across Operations, Sales, Partnerships, Finance, and Engineering, and your work will regularly reach the executive team. This is a high- ownership, high-exposure role for an early-career attorney ready to build a function rather than inherit one.

Commercial Contracts

• Draft, review, redline, and negotiate commercial agreements — vendor, partnership, integration, SaaS, hardware supply, NDAs, and merchant-facing terms.
• Run negotiations against Chowbus’s standard positions and non-negotiables framework; flag deviations and risk.

Business & Dispute Support

• Serve as in-house point of contact on merchant and commercial disputes — e.g., franchise-control matters, termination and notice mechanics, gift-card and payment-routing issues, and data-export and governance questions.
• Interpret and enforce contract terms, gather facts, draft affidavits and correspondence, and support and escalate to litigation counsel; you support and coordinate these matters rather than run them solo.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Act as first stop for legal questions across the company. Resolve routine matters against established playbooks; identify, frame, and escalate novel or higher-risk issues, including ad hoc employment, IP, and corporate questions.
• Own the outside-counsel relationship end to end — scope engagements, control spend, and translate external advice into clear, business-usable guidance.
• Support compliance posture across payments (PCI, card-scheme rules), data privacy (U.S. state laws and cross-border exposure), and multi-jurisdiction contracting — and build the legal function through templates, intake processes, and playbooks so the business can self-serve on low-risk matters.

What You Bring

• JD and active bar membership in good standing (any U.S. state; Illinois a plus)
• ~2–4 years of commercial contracts experience at a law firm or in-house — drafting and negotiating, not solely reviewing
• Bilingual — Mandarin and English preferred (merchant-facing matters and cross- border / affiliated-entity questions)
• Experience in technology / SaaS, payments, or marketplace businesses preferred
• Exposure to commercial disputes, franchise/distribution matters, or litigation support a plus

Working Conditions

• This role primarily involves extended periods of sitting and working at a computer, requiring focus and attention to detail.
• Flexibility and adaptability are key, as the role may involve adjusting to different time zones and work settings.

What We Offer

• A fair compensation package
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• 100% employer-paid Short-Term Disability (STD)
• 100% employer-paid Life Insurance and option for additional employee-paid Life Insurance
• 100% employer-paid Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance and option for additional employee-paid AD&D Insurance
• Company holidays
• Birthday off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The salary for this role is $130,000-$200,000, depending on experience.

Pay: $130,000.00 - $200,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60604