Legal Counsel (Fractional)

Overview

This role is for Legal Counsel (Fractional) supporting general counsel work for a US 501(c)(3) research and implementation nonprofit operating across global health and development, animal welfare, and reducing global catastrophic risk, including risks from advanced AI.

The position is fully remote and open to either employee or independent contractor structure (employee arrangement preferred). Typical time commitment is roughly 20–24 hours/week, with potential to increase as the project portfolio grows.

Start date: As soon as possible.

Application deadline: End of the day, Sunday, November 1st, 2026.

Responsibilities

Provide legal counsel and support across the organization’s operating model and project portfolio, including:

• Nonprofit law: Advise the US 501(c)(3) on the boundaries of charitable activity, including fiscal sponsorship (Model A) of independent projects.
• Contracts and agreements: Draft and review contractor agreements and service agreements, among others.
• Employment law and immigration: Support multi-jurisdiction employment practice compliance and assist with visa sponsorship and immigration compliance for staff.
• Grant and fiscal sponsorship agreements: Negotiate grant agreements with funders and grant recipients, and fiscal sponsorship agreements addressing IP transfer and spin-off provisions.
• Regulatory compliance: Assess potential exposure and obligations including FARA exposure, GDPR obligations across UK and EU work, and emerging AI regulation affecting research and operations.
• Entity formation and spin-off: Support projects becoming independent nonprofits, including entity formation, exemption applications, and asset transfer.
• Ad hoc counsel and triage: Handle one-off structural questions internally and determine when to escalate to specialist outside counsel.

Requirements

• Legal judgment and comfort with ambiguity in a fast-moving environment.
• At least 5 years of legal practice experience (generally more likely to succeed).
• Authorization to practice law where you intend to work from.
• Most roles require a US barred attorney.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting fiscal sponsorship structures, complex nonprofit activity boundaries, and cross-border regulatory issues.
• Familiarity with frontier AI-related contracting, export controls / FARA exposure, and privacy obligations such as GDPR.
• Demonstrated ability to provide risk-calibrated recommendations (including assessing likelihood and outlining clear next steps).

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation

• $200.00–$300.00 per hour for independent contractor work.
• $220,000–$300,000 gross annual full-time salary for full-time-equivalent work, prorated for fractional hours.
• For other currencies, compensation is based on a 5-year rolling average exchange rate.
• Exact salary will be based on prior relevant experience and corresponding title level, calculated using the organization’s salary algorithm.
• Compensation is not restricted to USD.
• Salaries are not negotiated.

Benefits

Benefits vary by country and number of hours worked, with a focus on equity and quality across staff, and may include:

• Flexible work hours and location.
• Comprehensive benefits (varies by country and number of hours worked).
• Generous paid time off, including vacation (with a minimum required statutory minimum) and “mandated” mid- and end-year organization-wide breaks.
• Technology stipend for work and office equipment.
• AI tools budget of $40 USD equivalent monthly.
• Learning opportunities, including workshops/training sessions and work time for professional and personal development.
• Virtual co-working spaces, including a private group.
• Peer support for new employees.
• Other benefits at leadership discretion.

Location

• Fully remote.
• Preference: UTC-5 to UTC+2.
• Preference: US or UK-based given legal footprint, but flexible.