Senior General Counsel & Compliance Leader

Minnesota-Cannabis-Services; Edina (MN); On-site; USD 225,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Defined path to Chief Legal Officer

Ownership & decision‑making authority

Job summary

Minnesota Cannabis Services seeks a General Counsel / VP of Legal & Compliance to lead our legal and compliance function in Edina, MN. You’ll own regulatory strategy, governance, licensing, real estate, and risk management while reporting to the CEO and guiding a small in‑house team.

The role requires a JD with strong multi‑state cannabis regulatory experience, superb contract skills, and leadership capabilities.

Qualifications

• JD with active bar membership; Minnesota admission or ability to obtain promptly.
• 8+ years including senior in‑house leadership, with demonstrated experience building or owning a legal or compliance function.
• Deep multi‑state regulatory experience in cannabis (strongly preferred) or a comparably regulated industry: alcohol, pharmaceuticals, gaming, tobacco, etc.
• Hands‑on commercial contract drafting and negotiation, disciplined management of regulatory deadlines and records, and experience supervising and developing junior staff.
• Multi‑unit retail, franchising, or real estate depth is a plus.
• Exceptional attention to detail, decisiveness, and the highest ethical standards.

Responsibilities

• Regulatory compliance and audit‑readiness across every market and license type we support; own licensing applications, renewals, ownership‑change requirements, and regulatory deadlines.
• Contracts: draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements; establish review standards; ensure obligations and renewal dates are maintained.
• Corporate governance and structure: architect and implement entity and compliance frameworks with financial advisors.
• Real estate and transactions: lease review, subleasing, and transactional support for licensed operators.
• Legal operations: own the Legal Ops platform, manage intake, priorities, deadlines, document control, reporting, escalation; ensure accuracy.
• Legal team leadership: manage and develop the in‑house team; direct outside counsel with controlled scope and spend.
• Government affairs: engage with policymakers across the spectrum; maintain bipartisan relationships.
• Other responsibilities include zoning, land use, labor/HR partnership, and litigation readiness quarterbacking externally.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Contract drafting

Leadership

Regulatory deadlines

Attention to detail

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Tools

AI legal tools

Job description

Minnesota Cannabis Services seeks a General Counsel / VP of Legal & Compliance to lead our legal and compliance function in Edina, MN. You’ll own regulatory strategy, governance, licensing, real estate, and risk management while reporting to the CEO and guiding a small in‑house team.

The role requires a JD with strong multi‑state cannabis regulatory experience, superb contract skills, and leadership capabilities.