Product Counsel: Innovation & Compliance Partner

AppFolio, Inc.; Santa Barbara (CA); Hybrid; USD 152,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

AppFolio, Inc. is seeking a Corporate Counsel, Product to partner with Product and Engineering teams. You will embed legal guidance into the development lifecycle, enabling business velocity while ensuring regulatory compliance across AI, consumer protection, tenant screening, and related areas.

This individual contributor role reports to the Associate General Counsel, Product, and requires building practical, clear guidance for product teams in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• JD degree from ABA-accredited law school.
• Active license in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• 5+ years of sophisticated legal experience focused on product counseling in US tech or SaaS.
• Experience in heavily regulated industries (e.g., FinTech, tenant screening, B2C).
• Willingness to adapt to shifting Legal team priorities.

Responsibilities

• Product Development Lifecycle Partnership: advise Product and Engineering from ideation to launch.
• Regulatory Navigation: translate US laws into actionable product requirements.
• Proactive Problem Solving: identify hurdles and propose practical solutions.
• Scalable Frameworks: build internal playbooks and user terms to scale with product growth.
• Vendor & Partner Strategy: negotiate high-stakes agreements and integrations.
• Technical Integration: understand AppFolio’s stack to advise on data flows.

Skills

Inquisitive Product Lawyer

Thriving in Ambiguity

Decision Maker

Effective Communicator

Bias for Simplicity

Collaborative Spirit

Education

JD degree from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

AppFolio, Inc. is seeking a Corporate Counsel, Product to partner with Product and Engineering teams. You will embed legal guidance into the development lifecycle, enabling business velocity while ensuring regulatory compliance across AI, consumer protection, tenant screening, and related areas.

This individual contributor role reports to the Associate General Counsel, Product, and requires building practical, clear guidance for product teams in a fast-paced environment.