Senior Counsel - Employment

Overview

This role is for a Senior Counsel specializing in Employment Law who has developed deep expertise through years of client work. The position involves assisting startups and high-growth companies with employment law matters, executive compensation, and equity plans. Additionally, the role includes building institutional infrastructure by developing templates, precedent libraries, and training attorneys to share knowledge and improve team capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert guidance on federal and state employment compliance, hiring and onboarding processes, employment agreements, employee confidentiality and intellectual property agreements, restrictive covenants, workplace investigations, and HR counseling.
• Design and manage executive compensation and equity incentive plans, including stock options, RSUs, restricted stock, ISO and NSO grant agreements, option exercise documents, and related board and stockholder consents.
• Draft and negotiate executive and founder employment agreements, severance agreements, and related documents.
• Counsel startups on founder and early-team agreements, independent contractor versus employee classification, FLSA and state wage and hour compliance, multi-state and remote workforce compliance, employee handbook and HR policy development, and immigration support.
• Develop templates and precedent libraries to streamline legal processes.
• Train and mentor attorneys across experience levels to share knowledge and improve team effectiveness.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active bar membership in good standing.
• 5-8 years of focused experience in employment law and executive compensation, including equity plan design and administration.
• Experience from top-tier law firms, leading in-house roles, or regulatory agencies is preferred.
• Strong enthusiasm for teaching and knowledge-sharing.
• Ability to work effectively with attorneys at various experience levels.
• Clear and confident communication skills, capable of translating complex employment and compensation issues into practical guidance for clients without HR backgrounds.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $180,000 to $240,000 per year.

Location

• Remote position with planned offices in San Francisco and New York available for those who prefer in-person work.

Equal Opportunity

The employer is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and is an equal opportunity employer.