In-House General Counsel (AI Policy & Contracts)

METR; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 328,000 - 402,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Catered lunches and in-office gym

Relocation stipend to Bay Area

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave (21 weeks)

Transit/parking stipend

Uber budget

Professional development

Mental health support

Wellness stipend

Home office equipment

Job summary

METR is seeking its first in-house General Counsel in Berkeley to build the legal function from the ground up, establish processes, define internal policies, and determine outside counsel strategy. This is a strategic role partnering with leadership on frontier AI lab agreements and risk management.

In-person strongly preferred; remote considered in exceptional cases. You will negotiate contracts, implement compliance for 501(c)(3) status, and guide HR-related matters such as hiring, visas, and

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and active CA bar eligibility.
• Experience (10+ years) in both law firms and in-house settings.
• Familiarity with AI frontier labs and related regulatory considerations.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic guidance to leadership on novel questions related to frontier AI labs and policymakers.
• Lead contract negotiations with frontier AI companies for evaluations and agreements.
• Build scalable legal processes, including contract review and internal policy development (conflicts of interest, confidentiality, data handling).
• Ensure compliance with 501(c)(3) status, reporting requirements, and various agreements (grants, vendor, partnerships).
• Offer HR guidance on hiring, offers, visas, and terminations.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Organization

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

California Bar admission

Job description

METR is seeking its first in-house General Counsel in Berkeley to build the legal function from the ground up, establish processes, define internal policies, and determine outside counsel strategy. This is a strategic role partnering with leadership on frontier AI lab agreements and risk management.

In-person strongly preferred; remote considered in exceptional cases. You will negotiate contracts, implement compliance for 501(c)(3) status, and guide HR-related matters such as hiring, visas, and