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Startup General Counsel Jobs (NOW HIRING)

General Counsel

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$180 - $280/hr

Serve as the lead in-house counsel across corporate, commercial, employment, and IP matters ... Experience building or scaling a legal and compliance function, ideally in a startup or ...

New

This is a broad, hands-on startup-style GC role for someone who enjoys building from first ... The General Counsel will help build and own the Foundation's legal function end-to-end, working ...

Associate General Counsel

Austin, TX · On-site

$130 - $180/hr

About the Role About the Role As Associate General Counsel, you will come in as the second lawyer ... Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may ...

Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, constantly evolving startup environment Nice to Have ... General Counsel jobs in Miami, FL . Miami, FL $125,000.00-$175,000.00 2 weeks ago Miami, FL $200 ...

General Counsel (Manhattan)

Manhattan, KS · On-site

$205K - $265K/yr

The Role We're looking for a General Counsel to be our first in-house legal hire. You'll own the ... Experience building a legal function from scratch at a high‑growth startup Compensation and ...

We are seeking a highly hands-on, business-oriented General Counsel to build and lead SuperDial ... Combination of top law firm training and in-house startup or growth-stage experience strongly ...

We are seeking a highly hands-on, business-oriented General Counsel to build and lead SuperDial ... Combination of top law firm training and in-house startup or growth-stage experience strongly ...

General Counsel (New York)

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$205K - $265K/yr

The Role We're looking for a General Counsel to be our first in-house legal hire. You'll own the ... Experience building a legal function from scratch at a high‑growth startup * Experience ...

Showing results 21-40

Startup General Counsel information

See salary details

$58.5K

$151.6K

$267K

How much do startup general counsel jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for startup general counsel in the United States is $151,643.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $108,500.00 and $190,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by a startup general counsel?

Startup General Counsels often operate in rapidly changing environments, where they must balance legal risks with the urgent needs for business agility and innovation. Common challenges include managing limited resources, addressing evolving regulations, and handling a broad range of responsibilities such as fundraising, employment matters, and intellectual property protection. Collaborating across departments and advising founders who may have limited legal background are also key aspects of the role. Adaptability, strategic thinking, and prioritization help ensure legal compliance while driving the startup’s growth objectives.

What is a startup general counsel?

A Startup General Counsel (GC) is the chief legal officer responsible for managing all legal aspects of an early-stage company. They provide strategic legal guidance on corporate governance, fundraising, contracts, employment law, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance. Unlike a traditional in-house counsel at a larger company, a startup GC often works with limited resources and must balance risk management with the company's growth objectives. They may also oversee external legal counsel and ensure the startup remains compliant with relevant laws. Given the fast-paced nature of startups, the GC needs to be adaptable and capable of handling a broad range of legal issues efficiently.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the startup general counsel position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Startup General Counsel, you need a Juris Doctor (JD) degree, active bar membership, and a solid background in corporate, employment, and intellectual property law. Experience with contract management software, cap table tools, and compliance management systems is often required. Excellent judgment, agility, strong communication, and the ability to balance risk with business objectives are highly valued soft skills. These abilities are crucial for navigating the fast-paced, multifaceted legal landscape of startups while supporting company growth and innovation.

More about Startup General Counsel jobs
What cities are hiring for Startup General Counsel jobs? Cities with the most Startup General Counsel job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Startup General Counsel jobs? The most popular types of Startup General Counsel jobs are:
What states have the most Startup General Counsel jobs? States with the most job openings for Startup General Counsel jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Startup General Counsel jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Startup General Counsel jobs are:
Infographic showing various Startup General Counsel job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $151,643 per year, or $72.9 per hour.

General Counsel

Cantos Ventures

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$180 - $280/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

Posted 3 days ago

New


Job description

ABOUT HEAVISIDE INDUSTRIES

Heaviside Industries builds multi-domain autonomous precision munitions for U.S. and allied special operations and conventional forces. While modern warfare has rapidly evolved with the proliferation of unmanned systems, hyper-precise munitions in contested environments are the future of the battlefield. Economical precision strike capabilities are critical to U.S. and allied war efforts, enabling successful defeat of enemy military assets and infrastructure. Heaviside builds precision munitions designed to operate in GPS-denied and spectrum-jammed battlefields—where traditional systems degrade or fail—without inflated prices or sacrifice to performance.

All engineering and manufacturing is conducted in-house in Heaviside's Los Angeles, CA headquarters and Oslo, Norway office.

Heaviside is backed by Interlagos, Menlo Ventures, Flume Ventures, Cantos, Anorak Ventures, and Ravelin Ventures.

WHAT YOU WILL DO
  • Stand up and own the company's export control and trade compliance program, ensuring full ITAR and EAR compliance across engineering, manufacturing, and program operations
  • Serve as the company's Empowered Official: manage DDTC and BIS registration, export licensing, Technical Assistance and Manufacturing License Agreements (TAAs/MLAs), commodity jurisdiction and classification (USML/CCL) determinations, and recordkeeping
  • Manage cross-border technology transfer, deemed-export controls, and foreign-national and visitor access procedures
  • Build the broader compliance program: government-contracting compliance, anti-corruption (FCPA), ethics, and security (NISPOM/CMMC partnership)
  • Serve as the lead in-house counsel across corporate, commercial, employment, and IP matters, directing outside counsel on specialized and surge work
  • Draft and negotiate commercial, vendor, teaming, and customer agreements, with export-control terms built in
  • Advise executive leadership and the board on regulatory risk, corporate governance, equity, and financing
  • Build and lead the legal and compliance function over time, hiring and developing specialists as the organization grows
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
  • Licensed attorney: J.D. and active membership in good standing of a U.S. state bar (California preferred)
  • Hands‑on, demonstrable export control experience — direct ownership of an ITAR/EAR program (licensing, agreements, classifications), not advisory-only
  • Qualified and willing to serve as the Empowered Official: a U.S. Person with the standing and authority to halt a non‑compliant export
  • 10+ years across legal and compliance, with significant experience in the defense industry or supporting government and DoD programs
  • Working knowledge of government contracting (FAR/DFARS) and defense‑industry compliance obligations
  • Experience building or scaling a legal and compliance function, ideally in a startup or high‑growth environment, with comfort operating as a generalist supported by outside firms
  • Strong commercial drafting and negotiation skills across a broad range of agreements
  • Sound, practical judgment — able to translate export and regulatory complexity into clear, business‑enabling guidance
  • [BONUS] Cross‑border technology transfer experience and familiarity with foreign‑national access controls
  • [BONUS] CMMC/cybersecurity compliance, FCPA programs, or M&A experience
  • [BONUS] Active or prior U.S. security clearance
Additional Information:

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case‑by‑case basis and may vary based on job‑related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full‑time hires, you may also be eligible for long‑term incentives in the form of stock options, access to medical, vision & dental coverage, and access to a 401(k) retirement plan.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Heaviside is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Heaviside is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, physical disability or any other legally protected status.

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