Legal Counsel

Ultralytics; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity packages

Job summary

Ultralytics in London is seeking an in-house lawyer to build and lead the legal function. You will own AGPL-3.0 and Enterprise licensing, negotiate licensing agreements, and shape IP strategy in a fast-growth AI company.

You will draft and negotiate SaaS, licensing, distribution, and vendor contracts, while advising on GDPR and data transfers across multiple jurisdictions. This role requires UK qualification and strong cross-border experience.

Qualifications

• UK-qualified solicitor with cross-jurisdiction experience.
• Proven track record negotiating or enforcing copyleft/open-source licenses (AGPL, GPL...).
• Experience converting unauthorized commercial use into paying licensing customers.

Responsibilities

• Own AGPL-3.0 and Enterprise licensing end to end, converting violations into paid Enterprise agreements.
• Structure and negotiate enterprise license agreements with customers (scope, pricing, audit rights).
• Draft, review, negotiate SaaS and technology licensing agreements.

Skills

Open-source licenses

SaaS licensing

Contract negotiation

Data protection/GDPR

Sole in-house counsel

Cross-border deals

Education

UK-qualified solicitor

Experience across jurisdictions

Tools

SCA tooling

License-scanning tools (SPDX/SBOM)

Job description

About Ultralytics:

At Ultralytics, we commit to relentless innovation in the AI space and seek team members who resonate with our ambition to produce the world's best YOLO AI models. If you're obsessed with AI, eager to make an impact on the world, and thrive in dynamic, high-intensity environments, we invite you to apply for a position on our team.

Hello, hola, 你好, こんにちは, नमस्ते, hallo, bonjour!

Who we are

At Ultralytics, we're on a mission to simplify AI for everyone. As the creators of the world's leading Ultralytics YOLO models, we empower millions of developers, researchers, and companies worldwide to build state-of-the-art computer vision applications.

Following our $30M Series A round, we're expanding rapidly across our global hubs in London, Madrid, and Shenzhen. This is an opportunity to join a fast-scaling, high-performance team that's redefining the future of vision AI - where ambition meets impact, and ideas become reality.

We move fast. We build boldly. We execute with purpose. And we do it together.

About the role

Ultralytics is hiring its first in-house lawyer. There's no legal team to join - you're building it. That means setting up how contracts get reviewed, collaborating with outside counsel across jurisdictions, and deciding what processes are actually worth having at a company this size, rather than inheriting someone else's playbook.

The first priority is the part of the business that generates revenue directly: the AGPL-3.0 and Enterprise dual-licensing model behind YOLO. Every company using Ultralytics' models commercially either open-sources their entire project under AGPL-3.0 or buys an Enterprise license. Supporting compliance, converting violations into contracts, and negotiating Enterprise agreements are core to the P&L, not a background compliance task. We need someone who's done this kind of work before, not someone learning open-source licensing on the job.

What you'll do

Open-source licensing and IP

• Own the AGPL-3.0 and Enterprise licensing model end to end: detect likely violations, lead outreach and negotiation to convert unlicensed commercial use into paid Enterprise agreements.

• Structure and negotiate enterprise license agreements directly with customers - scope, pricing triggers, audit rights, term.

• Own IP portfolio strategy and lifecycle (trademarks, copyright, trade secrets), working with external IP agents and attorneys for filings and renewals rather than filing directly.

• Set and maintain the open-source contribution and dependency policy - what can come in, what obligations it carries, how attribution and notices are handled.

Commercial contracts

• Draft, review, and negotiate SaaS, licensing, distribution, partnership, and vendor agreements.

• Build contract templates, playbooks, fallback positions, and approval workflows from the ground up.

• Own liability, indemnity, warranty, and risk positions across customer and vendor contracts.

• Partner with Sales, Operations, Finance, Product, and Engineering to close deals and manage legal risk.

Privacy, compliance, and legal operations

• Advise on GDPR, data processing agreements, and international data transfers across the UK, EU, US, and China.

• Establish proportionate AI governance and regulatory compliance processes.

• Select and manage outside counsel across the UK, Spain, China, and other jurisdictions as needed.

• Introduce practical systems for matter management, contract tracking, legal intake, and reporting.

Skills and experience

Core requirements

• UK-qualified solicitor or equivalent, with genuine experience working across multiple jurisdictions.

• Hands-on experience negotiating or enforcing copyleft/open-source licenses, including AGPL, GPL, or similar models.

• Experience converting unauthorized commercial use into paying licensing customers.

• Strong track record of drafting and negotiating SaaS, technology licensing, distribution, and other commercial agreements independently.

• Comfortable operating as the sole in-house lawyer and building a legal function from scratch.

• Working knowledge of GDPR, data processing agreements, and cross-border data transfers.

• Excellent judgment, commercial awareness, written communication, and stakeholder management.

Nice to have

• In-house experience at an AI, computer vision, or open-source software company.

• Familiarity with Ultralytics, YOLO, or comparable dual-licensed open-source projects.

• Experience with SCA tooling, SPDX, SBOMs, or license-scanning tools.

• Experience with AI governance, emerging technology regulation, or software IP enforcement.

• Spanish, Mandarin, or another relevant language.

Cultural fit

At Ultralytics, we set bold goals and execute with speed, precision, and teamwork. We're driven by hard work, ambition, and resilience - building fast, learning constantly, and delivering measurable impact.

This is an intense startup environment. You'll be expected to work with urgency, take full ownership, make decisions without perfect information, and deliver high-quality work at pace.

You'll thrive here if you

• Take ownership and deliver results with focus and accountability.

• Combine strategic legal judgment with hands-on execution.

• Communicate clearly and turn complexity into practical action.

• Value excellence, grit, and creativity in equal measure.

• See collaboration as the foundation for meaningful progress.

Our culture is built around our core values

• Relentless progress: Constant evolution and improvement.

• Strive for excellence: Perseverance and attention to detail.

• Actions, not words: Focus on delivering meaningful results.

• Act with urgency: Seize fleeting opportunities.

• Open access to all: Transparent communication and collaboration.

Compensation and benefits

We reward excellence and impact - not just tenure or title.

• Competitive salary: Reflecting your experience and contribution.

• Equity packages: