General Counsel

📋 Description

• Act as the corporate secretary, overseeing all Board governance, administration of equity plans, maintenance of the cap table, and documentation for investor relations.

• Lead the legal due diligence and documentation associated with financing transactions, including growth equity rounds and debt facilities.

• Provide counsel to the Board and management regarding fiduciary responsibilities, best practices in corporate governance, and compliance with securities laws.

• Assess and direct legal workstreams for strategic M&A transactions, partnerships, or joint ventures.

• Establish and manage the commercial contracts function; draft, negotiate, and oversee SaaS MSAs, order forms, DPAs, SLAs, and partner agreements.

• Create contract playbooks, standard templates, and pre-approved fallback positions to expedite sales processes.

• Collaborate with Sales and CX teams to swiftly resolve deal-specific legal issues while maintaining appropriate risk tolerance.

• Oversee and continually enhance contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems and processes.

• Formulate and implement a comprehensive intellectual property (IP) protection strategy, encompassing trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, and patents as needed.

• Manage all IP assignments, invention disclosures, and ensure compliance with open-source requirements.

• Counsel product, engineering, and marketing teams on IP clearance, utilization of third-party software/content, and competitive IP risks.

• Lead the company's global data privacy program; ensure adherence to GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other relevant privacy regulations.

• Act as the legal lead for security incidents, breach responses, and regulatory inquiries.

• Collaborate with Information Security and Engineering on product privacy assessments, vendor evaluations, and DPA negotiations.

• Advise People/HR on employment-related matters such as offer letters, severance agreements, non-compete clauses, employee investigations, and terminations.

• Oversee employment litigation and agency charges; engage and supervise outside employment counsel as necessary.

• Ensure compliance with wage-and-hour laws, EEO requirements, and applicable labor regulations in all jurisdictions.

• Handle all litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution cases; efficiently retain and supervise outside counsel.

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive legal risk register; proactively identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks.

• Manage the company's insurance program (D&O, E&O, cyber liability, general liability) ensuring suitable coverage for a growing SaaS business.

• Build the legal function from the ground up; recruit and develop in-house legal personnel as business demands increase.

• Establish protocols for managing legal expenditures; select, onboard, and actively manage relationships with outside counsel to optimize both cost and quality.

• Implement legal technology solutions (CLM, entity management, e-signature, legal operations) to scale the function effectively.

⛳️ Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school; admitted to at least one state bar (active or in-house counsel status).

• 10–15 years of legal experience; a mix of BigLaw (technology/corporate practice) and in-house experience at a technology company is highly preferred.

• Previous roles as General Counsel, Deputy GC, or senior in-house counsel at a SaaS or recurring-revenue software firm are essential.

• Experience with PE and/or VC-backed SaaS companies is strongly desired.

• Profound expertise in commercial contracts, legal issues specific to SaaS, data privacy (GDPR/CCPA), and corporate governance.

• Prior involvement in supporting a growth equity transaction, Series C or later financing, or strategic M&A processes is greatly valued.

• Business-oriented mindset: ability to evaluate legal risks within a commercial framework and provide pragmatic, actionable advice rather than defaulting to risk aversion.

• Strong executive presence; capable of advising and challenging the CEO and Board with confidence and credibility.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; able to simplify complex legal concepts for non-legal audiences.

🏝️ Benefits

• Our user community values us, and we reciprocate. Experience a daily sense of purpose as we provide a more secure internet for everyone from our loved ones to major global organizations.

• Become a subject matter expert. Engage deeply with the leading technology sectors of security and open-source software.

• We are committed to fostering a diverse and talented team. Work remotely alongside motivated and supportive colleagues from around the globe.

• Embrace opportunities for learning and growth. Tackle new challenges with your team's support, and join our #growth-club for ongoing personal and professional development.