Legal Counsel

HeyGen; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k plan

Health benefits

PTO

Parental leave

Emotional health resources

Job summary

HeyGen is seeking a pragmatic, business‑minded Legal Counsel with 3–6 years of experience to partner with Sales, Product, Security, Privacy and Finance. You will tackle a range of commercial agreements, DPAs and NDAs, while managing legal risk in a fast‑paced SaaS/AI environment.

You’ll advise on privacy, IP, AI governance, vendor negotiations, and product launches, shaping legal strategy as HeyGen scales its cutting‑edge video technology.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
• 3–6 years of legal experience in tech or SaaS.
• Experience negotiating complex tech agreements.
• Knowledge of SaaS licensing and data privacy.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on commercial agreements including SaaS and DPAs.
• Provide practical legal advice to Sales teams to close deals efficiently.
• Partner with stakeholders on vendor negotiations and risk assessments.
• Advise on privacy, data security, IP, AI governance, and regulatory issues.
• Collaborate with Product and Engineering on launches and AI initiatives.
• Develop templates, playbooks, and self-service tools.
• Support legal operations to improve efficiency.
• Manage the company's IP portfolio.
• Monitor AI and privacy regulations and translate to business guidance.
• Assist with other corporate and strategic legal projects.

Skills

Drafting

Negotiation

Communication

Risk assessment

Team collaboration

Education

J.D. degree

Bar admission (US)

Job description

About HeyGen

At HeyGen, our mission is to make visual storytelling accessible to all. Over the last decade, visual content has become the preferred method of information creation, consumption, and retention. But the ability to create such content, in particular videos, continues to be costly and challenging to scale. Our ambition is to build technology that equips more people with the power to reach, captivate, and inspire audiences.

About HeyGen

At HeyGen, our mission is to make visual storytelling accessible to all. Over the last decade, visual content has become the preferred method of information creation, consumption, and retention. But the ability to create such content, in particular videos, continues to be costly and challenging to scale. Our ambition is to build technology that equips more people with the power to reach, captivate, and inspire audiences.

Learn more at www.heygen.com. Visit our Mission and Culture doc here.

About the Role

HeyGen is looking for a pragmatic, business-oriented Legal Counsel to join us. This role is ideal for an attorney with 3-6 years of legal experience, preferably advising high-growth SaaS or AI technology companies. You'll partner closely with Sales, Product, Security, Privacy and Finance, teams to help the company scale while managing legal risk in a fast‑paced environment.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys solving complex commercial problems, is excited about emerging AI technologies, and wants to help shape legal strategy at a company building cutting‑edge products.

What You'll Do

• Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a wide variety of commercial agreements, including but not limited to:
  • SaaS subscription agreements
  • Enterprise customer agreements
  • Data Processing Agreements (DPAs)
  • Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
  • Vendor and procurement agreements
  • Partnership and reseller agreements
• Provide practical legal advice to Sales teams to help close commercial transactions efficiently.
• Partner with internal stakeholders on vendor negotiations and risk assessments.
• Advise on privacy, data protection, security, intellectual property, AI governance, and regulatory issues arising in commercial transactions.
• Collaborate with Product, and Engineering, on product launches and AI-related initiatives.
• Develop and improve contract templates, negotiation playbooks, legal processes, and self‑service tools.
• Support legal operations initiatives that improve efficiency and scalability.
• Manage the company's IP portfolio
• Monitor developments in AI, privacy, cybersecurity, and technology regulations and translate legal requirements into practical business guidance.
• Assist with other corporate, compliance, and strategic legal projects as needed.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
• 3–6 years of legal experience, including experience at a law firm and/or in-house legal department.
• Experience negotiating complex commercial agreements for technology or SaaS companies.
• Strong understanding of:
  • SaaS business models
  • Software licensing
  • Commercial contracting
  • Data privacy principles
  • Intellectual property
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Strong business judgment with the ability to provide practical, solution‑oriented advice.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in-house at a SaaS, cloud, or AI company.
• Familiarity with AI products, foundation models, generative AI, or machine learning technologies.
• Knowledge of AI‑related regulatory frameworks, such as:
  • EU AI Act
  • California AI legislation
  • AI transparency and content authenticity standards
• Experience with privacy frameworks such as GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and global data transfer mechanisms.
• Experience supporting procurement, vendor management, or strategic partnerships.
• Familiarity with AI‑assisted workflows.

Who You Are

• Curious about emerging AI technologies and excited by the legal challenges they create.
• Comfortable balancing legal risk with business objectives.
• Collaborative and approachable, with a strong customer‑service mindset.
• Able to simplify complex legal concepts for business stakeholders.
• Highly organized and capable of managing competing deadlines independently.
• Adaptable, proactive, and eager to improve processes rather than simply maintain them.
• Be able to think on your feet, all the time.

Salary Range

$220,000 – $280,000 + equity + benefits

Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. HeyGen considers factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, and internal equity, as well as location, market and business considerations when extending an offer. As part of our total rewards package, HeyGen offers equity, comprehensive benefits including a 401k plan, health benefits, generous PTO, a parental leave program and emotional health resources.

HeyGen is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Join us at HeyGen and be part of a team that's reshaping the world of video creation through innovative technology!