EMEA Counsel: Lead GDPR & AI Regulatory Strategy

Clay Labs; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Clay is seeking an EMEA Counsel to join as the first dedicated legal team member in the region. You will scale internationally by handling privacy, product, commercial, regulatory, and go-to-market matters across the UK and Europe.

You will work at the intersection of technology, data, and evolving regulation, partnering with Sales, Product, Engineering, Marketing, Security, People, Partnerships, and Clay’s U.S.-based Legal team.

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer in the UK or an EU jurisdiction (or equivalent qualification).
• 8+ years of legal experience, preferably 4+ years in-house at a fast-growing B2B technology company.
• Strong working knowledge of GDPR, European privacy, data protection, and marketing regulations.
• Familiarity with the EU AI Act and the broader European AI regulatory framework.
• Proven track record negotiating complex B2B SaaS agreements, DPAs, and enterprise contracts.
• Ability to thrive as a generalist in a fast-paced environment and build practical legal frameworks from first principles.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills across technical, executive, and commercial audiences.
• Experience with data-intensive platforms, AI, or sales technology.
• Experience supporting U.S. tech companies expanding into EMEA

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary legal partner for Clay’s EMEA teams during European business hours.
• Advise on EU, UK, and Middle East privacy and data protection requirements (GDPR, UK GDPR, data subject rights, international transfers, and privacy-by-design).
• Partner with Clay’s Privacy, Product & AI counsel on European data, product, and AI regulatory matters.
• Monitor regional technology and privacy regulations, translating legal developments into clear product requirements, policies, and guidance.
• Support the EMEA go-to-market team by negotiating sales agreements, DPAs, customer terms, and strategic partnerships.
• Address complex customer inquiries regarding privacy, data governance, security, and AI practices during enterprise sales cycles.
• Guide expansion into new European jurisdictions, coordinating local counsel where necessary.
• Collaborate with People and external counsel on local employment, entity setup, and corporate structuring.
• Build scalable legal infrastructure, including contract templates, playbooks, and self-service processes.

Skills

UK/EU law

8+ years experience

GDPR/Privacy knowledge

EU AI Act familiarity

B2B SaaS contracts

data governance

excellent communication

experience with US tech expansion

generalist mindset

Job description

Clay is seeking an EMEA Counsel to join as the first dedicated legal team member in the region. You will scale internationally by handling privacy, product, commercial, regulatory, and go-to-market matters across the UK and Europe.

You will work at the intersection of technology, data, and evolving regulation, partnering with Sales, Product, Engineering, Marketing, Security, People, Partnerships, and Clay’s U.S.-based Legal team.