Lead Counsel, Employment and Litigation

ironcladhq; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 199,000 - 249,000; Full time

Job summary

Ironclad is seeking a Lead Counsel, Employment and Litigation with 8+ years of experience to serve as the primary employment law advisor and a versatile contributor to the Legal team's broader compliance, litigation, and risk management work as the company scales.

This hybrid role is based in San Francisco, reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, Corporate & Employment, and collaborating with People and Legal leadership to guide employment policy, investigations, and AI-related governance

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and CA Bar admission.
• 8+ years of legal experience, with at least 3+ years in-house in tech.
• Experience in employment law matters, including employee relations, leave administration, investigations, and policy development.
• Experience managing employment-related litigation, pre-litigation disputes, and government inquiries.
• Willingness to expand into compliance, regulatory developments, AI governance.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary employment law advisor and a versatile contributor to compliance, litigation, and risk management.
• Develop enterprise policies and scalable processes for employment life cycle, including recruitment and leave management.
• Advise senior leaders on trends, investigations, and complex personnel issues; collaborate with People Team.
• Develop and deliver training programs for managers and People Team members.
• Lead employment law initiatives for international expansion and corporate programs.
• Advise on AI-related compliance, privilege guidance, and governance.

Skills

Employment law

Litigation management

Policy development

Training programs

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

CA Bar Admission

Tools

Legal tech stack

Job description

Ironclad is the leading AI contracting platform that transforms agreements into assets. Contracts move faster, insights surface instantly, and agents push work forward, all with you in control. Whether you’re buying or selling, Ironclad unifies the entire process on one intelligent platform, providing leaders with the visibility they need to stay one step ahead. That’s why the world’s most transformative organizations, from Rivian to the World Health Organization and the Associated Press, trust Ironclad to accelerate their business.

We’re consistently recognized as a leader in the industry: a Leader in the Forrester Wave and Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contract Lifecycle Management, a Fortune Great Place to Work, and one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Workplaces. Ironclad has also been named to Forbes’ AI 50 and Business Insider’s list of Companies to Bet Your Career On. We’re backed by leading investors including Accel, Y Combinator, Sequoia, BOND, and Franklin Templeton. For more information, visit www.ironcladapp.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Ironclad is looking for a Lead Counsel, Employment and Litigation with 8+ years experience to serve as the primary employment law advisor and a versatile contributor to the Legal team's broader compliance, litigation, and risk management work as the company scales. This role would report to and work collaboratively with the Deputy General Counsel, Corporate & Employment to provide guidance on employment related legal matters that align with our company culture and global business objectives. This role will have a key role in a broad range of employment and HR issues, including policy and process development, employee relations issues, investigations and compliance. The role will work closely with People and Legal leadership.

This is a hybrid role based out of our San Francisco office. Office attendance is required at least twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for collaboration and connection. There may be additional in-office days for team or company events.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the first point of contact for Ironclad’s People Team to develop and deliver creative solutions to complex employment issues that align with the company’s strategic goals and values.
• In partnership with the People Team, establish enterprise policies and scalable processes that will govern the legal aspects of the employment life cycle, including recruitment, compensation matters, reorganizations, leave management and administration, policy governance, employee privacy and more.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on employment law trends, workplace investigations, and complex personnel issues and collaborate with the People Team to develop strategic solutions that align business objectives with applicable employment laws and regulations.
• Develop and deliver training programs for managers and People Team members on employment law best practices.
• Serve as the employment law team lead for international expansion and other corporate initiatives.
• Advise on matters arising out of the development and use of AI technology in recruiting/hiring, compliance, and other employment processes.
• Advise managers and employees on the interaction between AI tool use and attorney-client privilege, including how to preserve privilege when using AI in the context of sensitive personnel matters, investigations, and legal escalations; partner with Legal Operations and the People team to develop practical guidance and guardrails.
• Serve as the first-line internal resource for litigation and pre-litigation matters, including triaging demand letters, agency charges, subpoenas, and threatened claims; coordinating litigation holds with IT and Legal; and managing outside litigation counsel relationships on active matters.
• Aid in developing our global compliance program.
• Contribute to broader Legal team initiatives — including compliance program development, privilege training, cross-functional escalation frameworks, and legal operations improvements — as a collaborative member of the full Legal department.

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school and admission to the CA Bar.
• 8+ years of legal experience, with at least 3+ years in-house in tech; strong preference for experience in high growth B2B company.
• Proven track record in employment law matters, including employee relations issues, leave administration, pay equity, workplace investigations, performance management and policy development.
• Experience managing or supporting employment-related litigation, pre-litigation disputes, and government inquiries, including demand letters, agency charges, subpoenas, and litigation holds; comfort coordinating with outside litigation counsel on active matters.
• (Nice to have) Prior exposure to regulatory matters or compliance programs.
• Intellectual curiosity and genuine willingness to lean into new areas of law, including compliance, regulatory developments, AI governance, and marketing review, as the needs of a growing Legal team evolve.

• Positive, business-focused attitude with excellent judgment, high integrity, and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and on time.
• Ability to quickly assess business challenges and understand business objectives, making timely and pragmatic recommendations in light of company priorities.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, collaborate with and build in partner relationships internally and externally.
• In-depth understanding of how legal issues impact different parts of the organization and ability to translate complex legal issues in a clear and understandable manner.
• Strong project management skills and a demonstrated ability to build and scale programs (including internationally) and lead cross-functional initiatives (including having led change management efforts).
• Deep understanding of the modern Legal tech stack and surrounding LegalTech ecosystem.

Base Salary Range: $199,000.00 - $249,000.00 + offers bonus

The base salary range represents the minimum and maximum of the salary range for this position based at our San Francisco headquarters. The actual base salary offered for this position will depend on numerous factors, including individual proficiency, anticipated performance, and the location of the selected candidate. Our base salary is just one component of Ironclad’s competitive total rewards package, which also includes equity awards (a new hire grant, along with opportunities for additional awards throughout your tenure), competitive health and wellness benefits, and a commitment to career growth and development.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

US Full-Time Employee Benefits at Ironclad:

• 100% health coverage for employees (medical, dental, and vision), and 75% coverage for dependents with buy-up plan options available
• Market-leading leave policies, including gender-neutral parental leave and compassionate leave
• Family forming support through Maven for you and your partner
• Paid time off - take the time you need, when you need it
• Monthly stipends for wellbeing, hybrid work, and (if applicable) cell phone use
• Mental health support through Modern Health, including therapy, coaching, and digital tools
• Pre-tax commuter benefits (US Employees)
• 401(k) plan with Fidelity with employer match (US Employees)
• Regular team events to connect, recharge, and have fun
• And most importantly: the opportunity to help build the company you want to work at

UK Employee-specific benefits are included on our UK job postings

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.