Overview
An established organization is seeking an experienced legal professional to serve as a foundational in-house attorney. This role involves building the legal function from the ground up while driving strong commercial execution across the business.
The position includes ownership of commercial contracting end to end and building scalable legal infrastructure across corporate governance, intellectual property, employment law, and compliance. The attorney will also help shape the future legal team as the organization grows.
This role works closely with the Chief Operating Officer and cross-functional leaders to balance speed with sound risk management, implementing practical legal processes that support business growth. It is ideal for a legal professional interested in shaping legal strategy within a fast-growing company.
Responsibilities
Lead drafting, negotiation, and execution of customer agreements, including SaaS agreements, on-premise licensing agreements, data processing agreements, security exhibits, and master service agreements.
Manage vendor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and partner or reseller contracts.
Develop scalable playbooks, fallback positions, and templates for standard agreements.
Collaborate with go-to-market teams to accelerate sales cycles while balancing legal risk and compliance.
Provide support on general corporate matters such as board governance, legal entity management, and international expansion.
Partner with the Chief Operating Officer and outside counsel on equity matters, financings, and fundraising events including convertible notes, preferred rounds, and secondary transactions.
Advise on mergers and acquisitions activities, due diligence, and integration planning.
Work with the Chief Operating Officer and Human Resources to review employment policies, offer letters, and global hiring practices.
Manage the intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks, copyright matters, and open-source licensing.
Provide guidance on internal policies, employee handbooks, and compliance with laws including export control and data privacy.
Build foundational processes for contract lifecycle management.
Monitor regulatory developments and legal risk exposure to maintain ongoing compliance.
Serve as a cross-functional legal advisor to executives and team leads.
Establish the strategic roadmap and operational foundation for the legal function.
Define hiring needs and assist in building the legal team as the organization scales.
Develop training programs and legal education initiatives for cross-functional teams.
Select and manage relationships with outside counsel and legal service providers.
Qualifications
Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school.
Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
10+ years of relevant experience, including at a top-tier law firm and/or a fast-growing technology company.
Significant experience with commercial technology transactions, especially B2B SaaS and software licensing.
Entrepreneurial mindset with ability to work independently and make sound judgment without extensive legal infrastructure.
Proven ability to build legal functions from scratch or scale small legal teams.
Strong familiarity with corporate law, employment law, intellectual property, data protection, and open-source licensing.
Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, strong business judgment, and commercial awareness.
Comfortable working independently in a fast-paced, remote-first environment.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary range: $270,000 - $290,000 per year
Equity and bonus opportunities included
Work Style and Values
High attention to detail and strong ownership in problem-solving.
Collaborative mindset supporting contributors, users, customers, and internal teams.
Preference for simplicity and thoughtful decision-making before adding complexity.
Clear communication to help teams stay aligned and work effectively together.