VP of Legal

What you will be doing:

• As the Company’s first in-house lawyer, operationally uplevel the legal department by developing and executing on an intermediate/long-range plan for the function
• Manage/build the global contracts teams ensuring timely and accurate contract drafting, review, and execution and that resources continue to be allocated appropriately based on our rapid growth in North America/EMEA/APAC
• Lead the negotiating strategy and discussions on our highest profile new/existing customer contract negotiations with a positive, collaborative and commercial mindset
• Advise on a broad range of legal matters including commercial agreements, corporate governance, intellectual property, and employment law.
• Provide legal support for key business initiatives, including product development, sales, marketing, and partnerships.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, particularly in the software and technology sectors.
• Develop and implement legal strategies to mitigate risk while supporting the company’s business objectives.
• Work closely with the finance, sales, and operations teams to structure deals, transactions, and relationships with customers and vendors.
• Manage relationships with external counsel on specialized legal matters such as litigation, intellectual property, or complex regulatory issues.
• Develop and maintain contract templates, policies, and processes to improve efficiency and minimize legal risk.
• Conduct legal training for internal teams on contract negotiation, compliance, and other relevant areas.
• Monitor changes in relevant legislation and the regulatory environment and advise on necessary adjustments.
• Support the executive leadership team on strategic projects, including mergers, acquisitions, or equity fundraising activities.
• Implement general corporate governance best practices including (Board agendas, resolutions, minutes, compliance with state and federal filing requirements, etc.)

What experience and skills we are looking for:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and admission to practice law in the relevant jurisdiction (California bar preferred).
• 8-12 years of relevant legal experience, ideally with a combination of law firm and in-house roles, particularly in the software or technology sectors.
• Strong background in negotiating and drafting complex commercial agreements, particularly with enterprise customers.
• Experience managing legal aspects of software as a service (SaaS) businesses, including intellectual property, data privacy, and regulatory compliance.
• Detailed understanding of key contractual concepts and risk areas in enterprise software, including but not limited to limitation of liability, indemnification, intellectual property rights, licensing, warranty, confidentiality, information security/data privacy, audit rights and revenue recognition
• Experience with corporate governance and record-keeping, including maintaining corporate documents, managing filings, and overseeing governance practices.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage a variety of legal matters simultaneously.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with experience leading or mentoring a contracts or legal team.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders.
• Experience working closely with senior management and cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives.
• Ability to think strategically and provide sound legal advice in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance legal risk and commercial objectives.
• Hands-on experience with contract management systems and legal technology solutions.
• High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.
• Comfortable in a rapidly growing private company setting.