Legal Counsel

Newcode; Oslo; Hybrid; NOK 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Newcode.ai, a fast-growing legal tech and agentic AI company with teams across Norway, Sweden, Ireland, the US and growing, is seeking a Head of Legal to build our legal department across contracts, compliance, risk, IP, and corporate governance. This is a true “builder” and legal generalist role and will operate as a one-person legal department for the time being.

You will draft and negotiate commercial agreements, manage governance, protect IP, and oversee risk and regulatory programs,

Qualifications

• Experience building a legal function from scratch at a startup.
• In-house counsel with broad practice across commercial, governance, IP, and compliance.
• Licensed to practice law in one of Ireland, Sweden, or Norway.
• Minimum 5 years in-house legal experience, preferably in AI/SaaS tech.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts with customers, vendors, and partners.
• Steer corporate governance across entities and jurisdictions; manage equity and transactions.
• Protect IP portfolio, ensure compliance programs and regulatory alignment.
• Identify and mitigate legal and regulatory risks; coordinate with external counsel when needed.

Skills

Startup experience

Build legal function

Sole generalist

Broad legal practice

Education

Law degree from accredited university in Ireland, Sweden, or Norway

Job description

About Newcode.ai

Newcode.ai is a fast-growing legal tech and agentic AI company transforming how legal work is done. With teams across Norway, Sweden, Ireland, the US and growing we work at the intersection of law, technology, and intelligence. We move fast, think big, and take pride in doing things the right way.

Note: We believe in being transparent about what it's like to work at Newcode. As a fast-growing startup, we’re building and evolving every day. That means not every process, playbook, or framework is already in place, and priorities can shift quickly.

The people who thrive here are comfortable with ambiguity, take ownership, and don't wait for perfect direction. They are resourceful, proactive, and able to "figure it out"—solving problems, creating structure where needed, and helping build the company as they go. If you are good with this then, great! Keep reading to learn more.

The Role

We're looking for a Head of Legal to build our legal department across contracts, compliance, risk, IP, and corporate governance. This is a true “builder” and legal generalist role and will be operating as a one person legal department for the time being.

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial Contracts

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage customer, vendor, partner, and technology agreements.
• Partner with Sales and Legal Engineering to accelerate deal execution while managing legal risk.
• Develop and maintain contract templates, playbooks, and approval processes to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Support contract lifecycle management and legal operations initiatives.

Corporate & Governance

• Manage corporate governance activities across multiple entities and jurisdictions.
• Support equity administration, cap table management, and corporate transactions.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with local statutory and regulatory requirements.

IP & Compliance

• Maintain and protect the company’s intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks, copyrights, and proprietary assets.
• Support and manage compliance programs, including ISO certifications, data protection, security, and regulatory frameworks.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to identify, assess, and remediate compliance gaps.
• Develop and deliver compliance policies, training, and awareness programs.

Risk & Disputes

• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, regulatory, operational, and commercial risks.
• Manage disputes, claims, and litigation matters with external counsel when required.
• Provide practical legal guidance to business leaders on risk management and strategic decision-making.
• Maintain risk registers and support company-wide risk management initiatives.

• Candidates must have demonstrated experience:
  • Working at a startup;
  • Building a legal function from the ground up;
  • Serving as the sole legal professional within an organization; and
  • Operating as a broad legal generalist across multiple areas of law.
  • Law degree from an accredited university in Ireland, Sweden, or Norway
  • 5+ years of experience as in house legal counsel preferably at an AI / SaaS tech start up

Interview Process:

• Stage 1: Screening Call
• Stage 2: Interview #2
• Stage 3: CEO Interview

Why You’ll Love Working with Us

• Culture of trust and excellence:Be part of a team that values reliability, respect, and initiative, where everyone’s contribution matters and diversity drives creativity.
• Collaborative environment:Work with talented, driven peers on bleeding-edge legal engineering solutions with real-world impact.
• Growth and ownership:Shape your role as we grow. Take ownership and drive outcomes from the start of your journey.
• Inclusive culture of excellence and trust:We reward initiative, respect, integrity, and teamwork, and are committed to building a global, inclusive team. Your drive, curiosity, and ideas matter more than your background