Senior Litigation Counsel

Discord; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 304,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Discord is seeking an experienced Senior Litigation Counsel to join its Legal team. You will defend the company in state attorney general actions and investigations, develop case strategy, supervise outside counsel, and manage high-stakes matters with cross-functional partners across Product, Safety, and Public Policy.

This role requires JD and 10+ years, ability to lead complex litigation, knowledge of CDA 230, and a practical, business-minded approach.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 10+ years combined experience at a well-respected law firm and in-house legal department (tech preferred).
• Hands-on experience leading on government enforcement matters, such as state attorney general actions or investigations.
• Experience leading complex litigation through dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, and appeals, and directing multiple outside counsel teams at once.
• Working knowledge of internet platform liability, including CDA 230 and the First Amendment, and of minor safety, privacy, and consumer protection law.
• Ability to navigate legal issues with a practical and commercially sensible mindset, balancing litigation risk against business and product realities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to tailor the message to the audience, whether engineers, executives, outside counsel, or government officials.
• Ability to manage multiple high-stakes workstreams simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and consistently deliver results.

Responsibilities

• Defend Discord in state attorney general lawsuits and investigations as part of your portfolio, including responding to civil investigative demands and subpoenas.
• Develop case strategy and supervise outside counsel on dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, appeals, and venue and coordination questions, while managing budgets and staffing.
• Drive resolution efforts, including preparing settlement analyses and authorization recommendations, negotiating settlement terms, and partnering with Product and Safety teams to assess the feasibility of proposed commitments.
• Oversee discovery on major matters, including productions, protective orders, custodial interviews, and data collection with Data Science and Engineering, in close coordination with eDiscovery and paralegal colleagues.
• Monitor new and changing laws, including state online safety, privacy, and platform design laws; anticipate evolving litigation risk.
• Partner closely with Product, Public Policy, Trust & Safety, and Communications, including on engagement with regulators and government officials.
• Keep Legal leadership and executives informed through clear status updates and decision memos, and help build the frameworks, trackers, and playbooks that let the team scale
• Serve as a versatile member of a lean litigation team, willing to pitch in on matters outside core areas of focus when priorities shift or volume requires it

Skills

Litigation leadership

Regulatory enforcement

CDA 230 knowledge

Commercial mindset

Excellent communication

Project management

Education

J.D.

Job description

Discord has a highly engaged community of millions of daily active users who use the platform for many different reasons, but there’s one thing that nearly everyone does: play video games. Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming, and we are focused on making it easier and more fun for people to hang out before, during, and after playing games.

Discord is looking for an experienced Senior Litigation Counsel to join Discord's Legal team. Reporting to the Director, Global Litigation, you'll join a lean team where every team member carries real responsibility from day one. We're looking for a seasoned litigator who can operate independently on complex, high-stakes matters, with the judgment to set strategy, the credibility to engage with courts, regulators, and opposing counsel, and the practical sense to find resolutions that work for the business. You'll manage a diverse portfolio that includes state attorney general lawsuits and investigations, all while working closely with cross-functional partners to protect Discord's platform and users.

What you'll be doing

• Defend Discord in state attorney general lawsuits and investigations as part of your portfolio, including responding to civil investigative demands and subpoenas.
• Develop case strategy and supervise outside counsel on dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, appeals, and venue and coordination questions, while managing budgets and staffing.
• Drive resolution efforts, including preparing settlement analyses and authorization recommendations, negotiating settlement terms, and partnering with Product and Safety teams to assess the feasibility of proposed commitments.
• Oversee discovery on major matters, including productions, protective orders, custodial interviews, and data collection with Data Science and Engineering, in close coordination with eDiscovery and paralegal colleagues.
• Monitor new and changing laws, including state online safety, privacy, and platform design laws; anticipate evolving litigation risk.
• Partner closely with Product, Public Policy, Trust & Safety, and Communications, including on engagement with regulators and government officials.
• Keep Legal leadership and executives informed through clear status updates and decision memos, and help build the frameworks, trackers, and playbooks that let the team scale
• Serve as a versatile member of a lean litigation team, willing to pitch in on matters outside core areas of focus when priorities shift or volume requires it

What you should have

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 10+ years combined experience at a well-respected law firm and in-house legal department (tech preferred)
• Hands-on experience leading on government enforcement matters, such as state attorney general actions or investigations
• Experience leading complex litigation through dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, and appeals, and directing multiple outside counsel teams at once
• Working knowledge of internet platform liability, including CDA 230 and the First Amendment, and of minor safety, privacy, and consumer protection law
• Ability to navigate legal issues with a practical and commercially sensible mindset, balancing litigation risk against business and product realities
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to tailor the message to the audience, whether engineers, executives, outside counsel, or government officials
• Ability to manage multiple high-stakes workstreams simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and consistently deliver results

Nice to Have

• You are familiar with Discord and the video game and/or online communication industry
• In-house experience at a consumer-facing technology platform
• Experience with regulatory, platform safety, minor safety, privacy, consumer protection matters, internet platform liability (including CDA 230), and multi-district litigations (and/or state coordinated proceedings).
• Familiarity with patent litigation
• Background in gaming, social media, or communications technologies

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $304,000 to $380,000 + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include equity, or benefits.

Why Discord?

Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming. We're a multiplatform, multigenerational and multiplayer platform that helps people deepen their friendships around games and shared interests, and helps developers build and grow their businesses. We believe games give us a way to have fun with our favorite people, whether listening to music together or grinding in competitive matches for diamond rank. Join us in our mission! Your future is just a click away!

Discord is committed to inclusion and providing reasonable accommodations during the interview process. We want you to feel set up for success, so if you are in need of reasonable accommodations, please let your recruiter know.

Discord is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training.