What You'll Do
Lead the foundation’s legal and compliance strategy, shaping policies that support innovation while ensuring adherence to global regulatory standards. Provide strategic counsel on corporate governance, entity structuring, and cross-border transactions, ensuring alignment with the foundation’s mission and operational goals.
Advise leadership on legal risk related to partnerships, grants, incubation programs, and token-based initiatives. Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including service contracts, vendor arrangements, and token distribution frameworks.
Oversee compliance infrastructure, including AML/KYC protocols, sanctions adherence (OFAC), and insider trading controls. Monitor regulatory developments in the U.S., EU, Asia, and emerging markets as they pertain to digital assets, DeFi, and blockchain technology.
Represent the foundation in regulatory discussions and maintain relationships with oversight bodies. Ensure compliance with securities laws and token distribution rules across jurisdictions, particularly as they relate to exchange listings, custodial arrangements, and on-ramp integrations.
Provide legal insight on tokenomics, vesting schedules, treasury operations, and on-chain governance mechanisms. Structure and manage token grant agreements and restricted arrangements for ecosystem participants, contributors, and partners.
Evaluate legal implications of new initiatives such as RWA tokenization and DeFi integrations. Build and scale the internal legal function, including hiring and managing legal and compliance personnel as needed.
Requirements
- J.D. from a nationally recognized law school
- Active bar membership in a U.S. jurisdiction
- Minimum of 10 years of legal experience, preferably in financial services, fintech, or capital markets
- Substantial knowledge of U.S. securities laws, commodities regulation, and AML/sanctions frameworks as applied to digital assets
- Proven experience advising on corporate governance, equity or token structures, and strategic transactions in high-growth environments
- Track record of building or scaling legal and compliance teams within startups or regulated entities
- Direct experience drafting agreements, managing regulatory filings, and overseeing compliance workflows
- Experience coordinating outside counsel across multiple jurisdictions and managing legal budgets
- Ability to operate independently, make decisions under uncertainty, and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous role as General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel at a high-growth technology or financial services company
- Familiarity with foundation structures in Cayman Islands, BVI, or Singapore
- Existing engagement with regulators such as SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, or MAS
- Experience in U.S. policy advocacy, regulatory lobbying, or industry group participation
- Background in capital markets, M&A, or structured finance prior to in-house roles
Benefits
This role supports global operations with no location restrictions, enabling remote work from any jurisdiction. The foundation is structured to operate across borders, and the legal function plays a central role in enabling that reach. You will have the autonomy to shape legal strategy and compliance infrastructure while working closely with technical, product, and policy teams.
