Chief Legal Architect for Open-Source AI

OpenClaw; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenClaw Foundation seeks a Head of Legal to build and lead its legal function, advising the board on IP, licensing, governance, and international matters.

You will shape open-source governance, product security, data access, and regulatory strategy, balancing innovation with risk across ecosystems.

The role requires a JD and 7+ years of experience, plus strong judgment and the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-moving nonprofit tech environment.

Qualifications

• Must hold JD or equivalent law degree and admission to practice in relevant jurisdiction.
• Typically 7+ years of relevant legal experience in-house, at a law firm, or within a nonprofit or foundation.
• Strong expertise in IP, software licensing, trademarks, copyright, and technology transactions.
• Familiarity with open-source licensing, contributor frameworks, and software governance.
• Experience advising on AI regulation, product counsel, data governance, privacy, cybersecurity, or technology risk.
• Ability to navigate complex questions around data access, user permissions, agent autonomy, and responsibility across multi-party technology ecosystems.
• Experience with nonprofit law, foundation governance, or tax-exempt organizations.
• International legal experience, cross-border contracts, privacy or international IP protection preferred.
• Excellent business judgment and communication skills; able to operate independently in a fast-moving environment.
• Builder mentality and willingness to create legal processes from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Own IP strategy across the OpenClaw codebase, brand, and ecosystem, including copyright, licensing, trademark registration, usage policies, and enforcement.
• Develop contributor agreements, licensing frameworks, and guidelines for third-party integrations, derivative works, and commercial use.
• Establish IP governance principles balancing ecosystem openness with protection of the Foundation's mission.
• Advise on evolving AI regulation and product counsel across consumer, enterprise, and deployment environments.
• Partner with product and engineering to establish legal frameworks for agent permissions, identity, data access, and user consent.
• Define frameworks for agent autonomy, delegated authority, data ownership, and accountability across interconnected systems.
• Monitor evolving regulatory requirements around AI governance, privacy, cybersecurity, and data sovereignty.

Skills

IP & tech licensing

Open-source licensing

AI regulation

Data governance & privacy

Strategic business judgement

Nonprofit governance

Education

JD or equivalent law degree

Job description

OpenClaw Foundation seeks a Head of Legal to build and lead its legal function, advising the board on IP, licensing, governance, and international matters.

You will shape open-source governance, product security, data access, and regulatory strategy, balancing innovation with risk across ecosystems.

The role requires a JD and 7+ years of experience, plus strong judgment and the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-moving nonprofit tech environment.