Overview
An innovative fintech organization is seeking an experienced Americas Legal Counsel to provide strategic legal advice and support across the business, with a focus on financial products and partnerships. This role involves navigating complex legal and regulatory challenges in cross-border payments, cryptocurrency, foreign exchange, and technology, while enabling rapid growth and managing risk.
Responsibilities
- Advise product and engineering teams on legal and regulatory aspects of product design, development, and launch, especially payment and banking products
- Translate complex regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance to support compliant product growth
- Collaborate with business and compliance teams to develop and execute licensing and market entry strategies across multiple jurisdictions
- Oversee license applications and provide forward-thinking regulatory guidance on payments, money transmission, cryptocurrency, foreign exchange, and cross-border transactions globally
- Identify regulatory risks and develop pragmatic solutions to mitigate them while achieving business goals
- Provide comprehensive legal support on corporate governance, board matters, employment and HR issues, privacy, intellectual property, fundraising, strategic transactions, and other corporate legal needs
- Assess and mitigate legal and business risks across the organization
- Serve as a strategic partner to leadership, product, engineering, and growth teams
- Manage external counsel and consultants efficiently to deliver cost-effective, high-quality legal services
- Build scalable legal processes and frameworks to support rapid company growth
- Contribute to developing a collaborative, high-performing legal function
Requirements
- 7+ years of legal experience, including significant fintech or financial services background; 15+ years for senior counsel level
- Strong knowledge of financial services and payments regulations
- Proven ability to provide practical, business-oriented legal advice balancing risk and commercial objectives
- Experience collaborating with product, engineering, compliance, and business teams
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills
- Self-starter who thrives in fast-paced, ambiguous environments and takes ownership
- Strong project management skills with ability to manage multiple priorities and execute quickly
- JD from an accredited law school and bar membership in good standing
Preferred Qualifications
- Fluency in English and Spanish
- Experience with cryptocurrency and/or Banking as a Service products
- Background in startups or high-growth companies
- Significant experience with international regulatory regimes and cross-border transactions
- Collaborative team player with strategic legal thinking
- Comfortable making sound decisions with imperfect information
- Intellectual curiosity and courage in legal problem-solving
- View legal work as an enabler of business growth
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive salary and benefits package
- Equity participation in a rapidly growing company
- Opportunity to work in a fast-paced fintech startup environment
- Chance to impact global financial infrastructure significantly
- Collaborative work culture emphasizing personal and professional growth
Location
Americas region (specific location details not provided)