Senior US Legal Counsel

ARQ; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on stock options

Discretionary performance bonus

Paid annual leave

Latest technology to work with

Strong team mentorship

Job summary

ARQ, a fast-growing fintech, seeks a Senior US Legal Counsel to serve as strategic counsel to the Chief Legal Officer. You will lead regulatory, licensing, privacy compliance, and US product launches across ARQ's US entities.

You will negotiate bank partnerships, shape investment frameworks, mentor the US legal team, and guide cross-border initiatives with LatAm partners. Excellent judgment and a proactive, independent work style are essential.

Qualifications

• Senior-level legal experience at fintechs, banking institutions, or tech firms with relevant exposure.
• Expertise in US fintech regulations, licensing, bank partnerships, privacy frameworks, and investment product launches.
• Experience working with or understanding LatAm cross-border dynamics.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and NY active state bar admission in good standing.
• Proactive mindset with ability to manage complex legal tasks across multiple entities independently.
• Excellent verbal and written communication in English; Spanish/Portuguese a plus.

Responsibilities

• Navigate regulatory, licensing, and privacy requirements for US products and launches.
• Lead US technical legal matters and product launches, including investment frameworks.
• Negotiate and structure bank partnerships and investment agreements.
• Serve as strategic right-hand counsel to leadership and mentor US legal team members.
• Drive cross-border initiatives and adapt to high-growth environment.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Licensing expertise

Privacy frameworks

LatAm cross-border

Stakeholder communication

Project management

US fintech regulations

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

US Bar Admission (NY)

Job description

About ARQ

ARQ is one of the fastest-growing fintechs in the world. Our mission is to redefine how people interact with money across borders, building the infrastructure to move value seamlessly. We're still early in our journey, which means every person who joins shapes the future of our product, culture, and growth. If you're excited by big challenges, global impact, and the chance to grow fast with a world-class team, ARQ is the place to do it.

The Role

As Senior US Legal Counsel, this is your opportunity to play a pivotal role in helping us on our mission. Serving as a strategic right hand to the Chief Legal Officer, you will lead regulatory, licensing, technical legal matters, privacy frameworks, bank partnership agreements, and US product launches such as savings accounts and US investment offerings across our US entities.

What you'll be doing

• Navigate Regulatory, Licensing & Privacy Requirements: lead regulatory strategy, licensing setup, and privacy compliance across US products, including launching US offerings, savings accounts, and bank agreements while managing external legal counsel.

• Lead US Technical Legal & Product Launches: advise on complex technical legal matters, investment laws, product agreements, and regulatory frameworks required for US expansion.

• Bank Partnerships & Investment Frameworks: negotiate and structure key financial institution partnerships, bank agreements, and investment product legal structures.

• Serve as Strategic Leadership & Mentor: act as the key right-hand counsel to leadership and manage US mid-level legal team members as the US legal function expands.

• You will get things done: beyond scope of work and priorities, it is in the DNA of our Operations function to do whatever it takes to win

What you'll need

• Senior-level legal experience at top fintechs, banking institutions, or tech companies and law firms where you have the experience of what we need

• Demonstrated expertise in US fintech regulations, licensing, bank partnership agreements, privacy frameworks, and investment product launches

• Demonstrated expertise in US fintech regulations, licensing, bank partnership agreements, privacy frameworks, and investment product launches

• Experience working with or strong cultural understanding of LatAm cross-border dynamics

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and NY active state bar admission in good standing

• Proactive mindset with the ability to manage complex legal tasks across multiple entity types independently

• Excellent verbal/written communication in English, other languages such as Spanish and or Portuguese is a plus

• Project management skills: self-starter with the ability to work independently, manage conflicting priorities and successfully meet established project deadlines

• Strong problem-solving skills: good judgement and ability to make sound decisions when navigating ambiguity

Nice-to-haves

• Experience advising high-growth fintechs or startups on cross-border US/LatAm transactions

Benefits

• Competitive base salary

• Sign-on stock options bonus, so you become part of the success of the company

• Discretionary performance bonus (stock options)

• Paid annual leave

• Latest technology to work with

• Strong team that will help you improve your skills