Corporate Counsel

Icon Ventures; Vail (AZ); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading startup in the financial industry is seeking a Corporate Counsel to handle strategic legal initiatives including M&A, capital markets, and commercial contracts. This role offers a unique chance to shape the legal function in a fast-paced environment, while directly contributing to the company's growth and impact.

Benefits

Competitive salary and generous equity

100% coverage for medical, dental, and vision

WFH reimbursement

Growth opportunities

Twice-yearly company onsites

Qualifications

• 4+ years of in-house experience, ideally in fintech.
• Experience with M&A due diligence and capital raising.
• Successful negotiation of commercial contracts.

Responsibilities

• Support capital markets negotiations and maintain financing facilities.
• Manage M&A structuring, negotiation, and execution.
• Draft and negotiate commercial contracts with stakeholders.

Skills

Analytical reasoning

Clear communication

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

EMPOWER OVERVIEW

Empower is shaking up an outdated financial system by providing real opportunity for our customers: the opportunity to get the cash they need, to access fair credit, and to change their financial story. Today, we’re helping millions of people find financial security through machine learning models that evaluate creditworthiness using a more inclusive lens and mobile-first products: Cash Advance, Thrive line of credit, and Petal credit cards. Tomorrow? Creating even more financial paths for our customers (and their wallets) to succeed.

This year, Empower ranked #65 on Inc. 5000’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies list — our third year in a row cracking the top 100 — and was named by Forbes as one of the 25 Next Billion-Dollar Startups for 2024. Empower was also featured by Forbes on America’s Best Startup Employers list in 2023, and our Thrive line of credit product was named by Fast Company as one of 2022’s Next Big Things in Tech.

Empower is backed by Sequoia Capital, Blisce, and Icon Ventures. Ready to grow your impact and accelerate your career? Take a look at our open roles — we can’t wait to meet you.

The Opportunity: Corporate Counsel

Empower is looking for a sharp and nimble Corporate Counsel! You’ll tackle a broad range of strategic initiatives including capital markets transactions, M&A, and fundraising, alongside critical run-the-business functions such as commercial contracts and corporate and employment matters. As an early legal hire, you’ll have a unique opportunity to help establish the structure of Empower’s legal function and autonomy to set up for success as we scale. And you’ll report directly to the General Counsel, making your impact highly visible to company leadership.

Empower is a fast-paced, high growth environment–if you’re our ideal candidate, you excel in rolling up your sleeves, crafting structure within ambiguity and juggling multiple projects. You approach problems from first principles to find novel solutions. You can work autonomously and make judgment calls with confidence. You’ll interface directly with various cross-functional partners, so clear and concise communication of legal principles is a must.

Empower is a remote-first company. We drive connectivity through regular company offsites. Travel for company offsites is expected at a minimum 2 times a year.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Capital Markets: Support Empower’s capital markets team in negotiating, operationalizing and maintaining financing facilities to support our product suite (e.g. venture debt, warehouse facilities and asset-backed securities issuances) and providing related advice to internal stakeholders.

• M&A: Manage the structuring, negotiation, and execution of strategic M&A opportunities, including identifying material diligence issues to leadership and liaising with outside counsel to prepare and finalize deal documentation. Establish structure/process for M&A initiatives to ensure transactions progress smoothly.

• Commercial Contracts: Draft, revise and negotiate commercial contracts with vendors and partners, providing analysis and advice on risks and terms. Engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure contractual obligations are socialized and operationalized as needed.

• Employment Law: Support and advise Empower’s people team on various aspects of employment law as they arise, including recruitment, employee relations, terminations, and workplace safety. Collaborate with the people team to further develop and mature relevant policies, training materials and templates.

• Corporate: Take the lead on drafting and maintaining internal corporate documentation including approvals, committee charters and intercompany agreements.

Why You’re a Great Fit

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree; member of at least one state bar

• 4+ years of in-house experience, including some experience at early stage startup (preferably fintech)

• Some law firm experience preferred but not required

• Experience with M&A due diligence, capital raising initiatives, and transaction management, including preparing legal documents for financing activities

• Successful negotiation of commercial contracts in a corporate setting

• Strong analytical reasoning skills

• Ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely
  

Our Interview Process

1. Initial Recruiter Call: A conversation to learn about your experience and what you're looking for in your next role.

2. Hiring Manager Interview: A deeper discussion about your background and the Corporate Counsel opportunity.

3. Skills Panel: Meet with Empower team members to discuss your expertise and problem-solving approach.

4. Case Study: A brief exercise that highlights your thought process on relevant business challenges, which you'll review live with the hiring manager.

5. Leadership Conversation: A final conversation with our CEO to discuss how you'll contribute to Empower's mission (and how we can help you achieve your career goals along the way).

Don't meet every qualification? If you're excited about this challenge and driven to innovate, we still want to hear from you!

What You'll Get at Empower

• Meaningful Ownership: Competitive salary and generous equity in a profitable, fast growing company.

• Complete Support: 100% coverage for medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, plus a generous WFH reimbursement.

• High-Impact Teams: The chance to thrive in a small, focused team where your contributions directly shape outcomes for our business and customers.

• Remote First: A virtual first environment built on trust and outcomes.

• Team Connection: Twice-yearly company onsites where we come together to connect, learn, and build for the future (our last few have been in San Diego, Vail, and Flagstaff)!

• Growth Path: Ongoing opportunities for development in a dynamic, supportive, and creative environment.

The Empower Way

The Empower Way is one where bold ambition meets an owner mindset, where open dialogue and spirited debate are encouraged, and where everyone works together to put our customers first. We believe diverse voices lead to the best ideas, and we foster an environment where every individual is valued, heard, and supported as part of one unified team working to change lives and build a more inclusive future.

If that sounds like you, join us and be part of a team that's helping millions of people reshape their financial futures.