Legal Counsel

Posted Nov 13

About us

Founded in 2015 with the mission to protect the open economy, OpenZeppelin is the world leader in securing blockchain applications and smart contracts. 

Its bedrock open source Contract Libraries are a public good and industry standard for smart contract development.

OpenZeppelin’s professional expertise, unified with the Defender developer security platform, integrates through clients’ development lifecycles, so teams can plan, code, audit, deploy and operate projects faster and more safely.

Please note: Always refer to OpenZeppelin's official job page for the most accurate information about our open roles, as we have seen multiple third party job sites posting inaccurate information.

Legal Counsel

OpenZeppelin is seeking an experienced and commercially-minded lawyer to support our wide array of legal matters at a growth-stage security company enabling the world to move on-chain. You’ll be a member of our dynamic operations team and report to our General Counsel, managing all legal operations and driving our commercial contracting process. You will also have the opportunity to advise on a wide range of legal issues typical for a remote and global tech company, balancing legal issues with company values and strategic objectives. This is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself at the intersection of advanced technology, high-growth business operations, and law.

What You'll Do:

  • Draft, negotiate, and close a wide variety of agreements and manage the process behind all client and vendor agreements, supporting all commercial and contractual matters and deal flow.
  • Provide proactive, risk-weighted advice to business leaders that balances commercial upside against legal, financial, operational, and reputational risks.
  • Collaborate with and support the General Counsel on international hiring, fundraising, acquisitions, intellectual property strategy and licensing, privacy, compliance, and other diverse matters.
  • Work as a business partner across cross-functional teams, including Finance, Operations, HR, and IT & Security.
  • Regularly update templates and forms to ensure compliance with legal changes and market trends.
  • Design and execute automated processes for contracting and compliance, leveraging AI and advanced tools.
  • Conduct staff trainings and compliance practices on various topics.
  • Manage legal records and organize corporate governance processes for entities across multiple jurisdictions.
  • Take on projects that support company goals and align with your personal interests.

What You'll Bring:

  • 5-7 years of relevant legal experience, ideally with both law firm and in-house experience at a high-growth tech company.
  • Comprehensive knowledge in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating diverse commercial agreements within the tech sector, including SaaS and on-prem delivery models.
  • High attention to detail and strong analytical skills.
  • Creative problem-solving and negotiation skills with a pragmatic, business-oriented approach to legal analyses and risk assessments.
  • Ability to take ownership with minimal direction, excellent follow-through, and multitasking skills.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex topics to non-legal audiences.
  • A law degree and a license to practice in at least one jurisdiction.

Nice to Have Attributes:

  • Experience in a B2B tech environment, with an understanding of software-related legal issues, including open-source, on-prem, and SaaS models.
  • Strong interest in blockchain or disruptive technology.

Logistics

  • Our interview process takes place on Zoom and consists of the following stages:
  • Recruiter call (30-45 minutes)
  • Hiring Manager call (45 minutes)
  • Team member interview (30 minutes)
  • Leadership call (30 minutes)
  • Paid work test
  • Reference checks

Benefits

  • Company in-person gatherings in different locations around the world 😎
  • Fully remote work 🌎
  • Flexible time off 🏝
  • Paid parental leave for primary or second caregiver 💙
  • One time work-from-home equipment stipend of up to $500 USD 🪑
  • Co-working (up to $250/month) 👩‍💻
  • Medical coverage
  • Annual Learning & Development budget 🧠
  • Referral program
  • Work with a global team in a fast-growing industry 🚀

At OpenZeppelin, we are an equal opportunity employer and we value different perspectives. We are committed to building a diverse workforce. This includes but is not limited to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, national origin and other characteristics that make each one of us unique. In this uniqueness, we find the most value. Come join us!