STEPHEN T. LADD
Florence,SC
Summary
Legal professional and contract administrator with extensive experience in optimizing workflows and managing contract lifecycles. Expertise in drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements while serving as a primary liaison across business units. Focus on financial oversight and operational efficiency drives corporate objectives.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Contract Administrator
Avery Dennison
Mentor, OH
11.2022 - Current
- Integrate Ironclad CLM software into the Legal Department, successfully streamlining the contract review process for the Materials Group and Corporate functions.
- Draft, review, and negotiate a high volume of complex commercial agreements, including SaaS, distribution, procurement, strategic sourcing, and licensing under attorney supervision.
- Serve as primary legal liaison for the Solutions Group and corporate business units, efficiently triaging service requests and coordinating with external counsel.
- Manage financial oversight for assigned business units, conducting budget builds, forecasting, accruals, and analyzing critical metrics on legal spend.
- Lead the Membership Committee for Avery Dennison's Black Employee Resource Group, successfully growing membership numbers and re-engaging past participants.
Commercial Contracts Attorney
Lexitas
Troy, MI
08.2018 - 11.2022
- Collaborated with a dynamic team of attorneys to provide exceptional service, drafting and negotiating NDAs, material transfers, and commercial property lease agreements for Fortune 500 clients.
- Processed, negotiated, and executed commercial agreements using legal tech platforms, including Onit, Contract Express, and Adobe Sign.
- Accelerated account lifecycles by facilitating seamless client onboarding to standardize and streamline document creation processes.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
St. Clair County
, MI
04.2018 - 08.2018
- Controlled an active District Court docket spanning from initial warrant issuance all the way through trial; successfully tried 1 jury trial and multiple bench trials.
- Drafted comprehensive legal documents for criminal cases and court proceedings, ensuring clarity and compliance with legal standards.
- Researched relevant laws and regulations to effectively support case preparation and strategy.
- Collaborated with law enforcement to gather and analyze evidence, strengthening prosecution cases.
Law Clerk
31st Circuit Court
, MI
08.2017 - 04.2018
- Conducted detailed legal research to draft authoritative memoranda and judicial opinions across criminal, civil, business, and family law cases under Judge West and Judge Lane.
- Researched legal precedents and statutes to support court proceedings.
- Drafted legal documents including briefs and motions for court cases.
- Assisted judges in case preparation by organizing case files and evidence.
Administrative Assistant to Mayor
City of Lansing
Lansing, MI
05.2015 - 04.2016
- Tracked all incoming contracts for mayoral approval ensuring compliance; authored policy and briefing reports.
- Managed office communications and correspondence for city departments.
- Organized and scheduled appointments for city officials and staff members.
- Maintained filing systems for sensitive city documents and records.
Education
J.D. -
Michigan State University College of Law
East Lansing, MI05-2017
Bachelor's Degree - Criminal Justice / Police Science
Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI01-2013
Skills
- Contract drafting
- Commercial negotiation
- Contract management
- SaaS agreements
- Contract negotiation tactics
- Legal research
- Financial compliance oversight
- Budgeting skills
- Client communication
- Collaboration with stakeholders
- Cross-functional liaison
- Contract implementation
- Time management
- Process improvement
Affiliations
- Attorney Coach-Cardinal Mooney Mock Trial (2017)
- Co-Chair of the Membership Committee- Avery Dennison Black Employee Resource Group (2023-Present)
Timeline
Contract Administrator
Avery Dennison
11.2022 - Current
Commercial Contracts Attorney
Lexitas
08.2018 - 11.2022
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
St. Clair County
04.2018 - 08.2018
Law Clerk
31st Circuit Court
08.2017 - 04.2018
Administrative Assistant to Mayor
City of Lansing
05.2015 - 04.2016
J.D. -
Michigan State University College of Law
Bachelor's Degree - Criminal Justice / Police Science
Ferris State University