Job description
Our client, a dynamic, high-growth software company backed by marquee investors—including Sequoia Capital and Index Ventures—has exclusively retained Solutus Legal Search to recruit a visionary and business-minded General Counsel to serve as the company’s first legal executive.
This is a unique opportunity to join a category-defining company at a pivotal moment in its journey. The company has achieved remarkable market adoption and is scaling rapidly in preparation for an eventual IPO. The General Counsel will initially report to the President, with a planned transition to report directly to the CEO as the company approaches public readiness.
As General Counsel, you will partner closely with the Board of Directors and executive leadership team, playing a critical role in guiding the company’s legal strategy while helping shape its long-term growth. You will build and lead the legal function from the ground up, providing expert counsel across corporate, commercial, compliance, intellectual property, privacy, and employment matters. This is a rare opportunity to architect the legal function of a fast-growing, mission-driven company and hire and develop a high-performing legal team as the company continues to scale.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as the principal legal advisor to the Board of Directors and executive leadership team
- Lead and manage all legal affairs globally, including general corporate matters, corporate governance, compliance, commercial transactions, intellectual property and privacy issues
- Structure, draft, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements with enterprise customers, strategic partners, vendors, and suppliers
- Oversee the company’s intellectual property strategy, including patents, trademarks, and open-source licensing
- Advise on global privacy and data security matters (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and help build scalable compliance programs
- Support corporate development activities, including fundraising, M&A, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships
- Develop and implement legal policies, processes, and controls aligned with the company’s growth and international expansion
- Manage and direct outside counsel relationships and legal budgets
- Partner cross-functionally with engineering, product, sales, marketing, and HR to support business initiatives
Professional Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school; admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- Minimum 15+ years of relevant legal experience, including a combination of top-tier law firm and in-house counsel roles at enterprise SaaS companies
- Demonstrated success as a General Counsel or senior legal leader in a high-growth, venture-backed, or publicly listed SaaS technology company strongly preferred
- Deep experience in commercial contracting, SaaS agreements, enterprise technology transactions, intellectual property, and corporate governance
- Familiarity with global privacy regulations, compliance, employment law, and regulatory issues
- Strong business acumen with the ability to provide practical, actionable legal advice in a fast-paced environment
- Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
Personal Characteristics
- Strategic, solutions-oriented mindset with high integrity and sound judgment
- Collaborative and approachable leadership style, able to build trust and credibility across the organization
- Works with a sense of urgency, is responsive and can prioritize matters to push business forward.
- Entrepreneurial, adaptable, and comfortable operating in an agile, scaling environment
Executive compensation package includes a base salary in the mid to high three hundred thousands, benefits and equity participation.
This is an extraordinary opportunity for a business-oriented legal executive to shape the legal and governance foundation of a high-impact, high-growth company on the path to IPO. You will work alongside visionary leadership, make meaningful contributions to the company’s strategy, and help enable transformative growth in a cutting-edge industry.
The company operates as a fully distributed team with monthly leadership meetings on the West Coast. While West Coast candidates are preferred, we welcome candidates from other locations who are willing to travel to the West Coast once per month.
Solutus Legal Search is proud to have been exclusively retained to assist our client with this special engagement. Resumes submitted directly to our client will be forwarded to Solutus Legal for evaluation.
Ref. #906-SLS
