Sr Legal Counsel - Ads/Honey

PayPal; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 177,000 - 262,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

Paid time off

Job summary

PayPal is seeking a high-caliber attorney with experience in financial services regulation and technology to join our Product Legal team in San Jose. You will work with the AdTech and loyalty rewards groups to provide legal and regulatory guidance as PayPal develops and updates its products and services.

The successful candidate will have strong experience in product counseling within regulated environments, and a track record of delivering concise, business-focused legal advice to senior

Qualifications

• 10+ years relevant experience and a Juris doctorate degree OR any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8-10+ years of experience practicing either in-house or at a reputable law firm, with at least 5 years in product counseling in FinTech/AdTech or other regulated environments.
• Ability to provide timely, concise and business-focused legal advice on federal and state consumer financial laws, consumer protection laws, data privacy laws, and guidance from CFPB/FTC.
• Ability to guide product design/modification, identify risks, mitigate, review user experiences for compliance and disclosures, and document guidance for legal and product teams.
• Familiarity with PayPal, personalized shopping, mobile/alternative payments, and emerging payments tech.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment and take ownership of first-impression projects.
• Comfort with gray areas and applying law in unsettled contexts.
• Strong interpersonal/organizational skills, ability to work with attorneys, management and cross-functional stakeholders, and to implement policies.
• Open to adapting practice to industry changes and collaborating across PayPal's global organization.
• Creative thinker with problem-solving skills and calm under pressure; JD or equivalent and bar admission.
• Exceptional writing, attention to detail, and ability to draft original documents.
• Outstanding written and oral communication and ability to work in teams and independently.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments with effective prioritization.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice and support to senior management, influencing business strategy and decision making.
• Anticipate regulatory and legal risks and design strategies to manage them.
• Perform compliance risk assessments and propose solutions to advance business objectives.
• Manage escalations and collaborate across teams to enable partners to achieve goals.
• Develop strong relationships with business counterparts to deliver effective legal services.
• Ensure compliance with laws/regulations and adopt cutting-edge legal tech and best practices.
• Manage legal risks and protect PayPal’s interests with forward-looking risk management.
• Provide inputs as an industry leader and stay ahead of legal trends.

Skills

Regulatory compliance

Product counseling

Financial services regulation

In-house experience

Education

Juris Doctorate

Job description

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy.

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third‑party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards. Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end‑to‑end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross‑border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross‑border trade.

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day. We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary

PayPal is one of the leading global payments companies in the world. Initially conceived and designed for web payments, PayPal’s innovative products have since altered the shopping landscape for customers around the globe. PayPal’s product vision, combined with an increasingly complex and demanding legal and regulatory environment, will provide robust career opportunities for attorneys motivated and driven by creative clients and a fast paced, cutting‑edge culture.

PayPal is seeking a high caliber, experienced and energetic attorney, with experience in financial services regulation and technology to join our Product Legal team.

This attorney will work closely and partner with leaders in our fast‑growing AdTech and loyalty rewards group. You’ll provide legal and regulatory guidance as the product team develops, implements and updates PayPal’s products and services.

Job Description

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice and support to senior management, influencing business strategy an decision making.
• Anticipate regulatory and legal risks, and proactively design strategies to manage them.
• Perform legal and regulatory compliance risk assessments, propose creative solutions where applicable, and help advance business objectives.
• Manage escalations, collaborate across other teams and develop solutions to enable business partners to achieve their goals.
• Develop a strong rapport and working relationship with business counterparts across the enterprise to help drive the delivery of effective legal services.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, leading the adoption of cutting‑edge legal technologies and best practices.
• Manage legal risks and safeguard PayPal’s legal interests, developing forward‑looking risk management strategies.
• Provide key inputs as an industry leader and expert, staying ahead of legal trends and influencing industry standards.

Minimum Qualifications

• 10+ years relevant experience and a Juris doctorate degree OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications

• 8-10 or more years of experience practicing either in‑house (or in an equivalent setting) or at a reputable law firm, with at least 5 of those years focused on product counseling in the FinTech space, the AdTech space, or other strongly regulated environment.
• Ability to provide timely, concise and business‑focused legal advice on federal and state consumer financial laws and regulations and consumer protection laws; data privacy laws; and new rules, enforcement actions and other guidance coming out of agencies such as the CFPB and the FTC.
• Ability to provide legal and regulatory guidance on the design and modification of products, proactively identify associated risks and recommend mitigation strategies, review product user experiences to ensure legal compliance and proper disclosures, and help document guidance for consumption by members of both the legal and product teams.
• Familiarity with, and strong interest in, PayPal, personalized shopping experiences, mobile and alternative payments, emerging payments technology and the payments industry.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment and to tolerate change and ambiguity.
• Ability and drive to take ownership of projects and tasks which, in many cases, will be matters of first impression.
• Comfortable with gray areas and interpreting and applying the law in unsettled contexts.
• Confident self‑starter with strong interpersonal and organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to effectively and proactively provide sound legal advice, exercise good business judgment, work well with other attorneys, senior management and cross functional stakeholders, and implement policies and processes.
• Openness to adapting his/her practice in response to the changing landscape of the industry.
• Facilitate a team‑based approach to subject matter management and knowledge sharing, and comfort with a flexible, agile environment that emphasizes collaboration and team performance over management hierarchy or personal gain. The successful candidate will enthusiastically partner with PayPal legal colleagues across our global organization.
• Creative thinker with strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to stay calm under challenging circumstances.
• Juris Doctorate or equivalent degree. Admitted to and in good standing with a state bar.
• Exceptional writing skills, with attention to detail and ability to generate creative original drafted documents.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills and ability to work both in teams and independently.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments simultaneously, with effective resolution of conflicting priorities.

Subsidiary

PayPal

Travel Percent

0

Pay Range

Primary Location | Pay Range:

San Jose, California: ($176,500.00 - $262,350.00 Annually)

Additional Location(s) | Pay Range:

Chicago, Illinois: ($160,500.00 - $238,700.00 Annually)

Austin, Texas: ($160,500.00 - $238,700.00 Annually)

New York City, New York: ($176,500.00 - $262,350.00 Annually)

Scottsdale, Arizona: ($152,500.00 - $226,600.00 Annually)

Omaha, Nebraska: ($152,500.00 - $226,600.00 Annually)

Additional compensation for this role may include an annual performance bonus, equity, or other incentive compensation, as applicable.

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one‑time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes. Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All communication regarding your application will come from official PayPal email domains. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please report it immediately. To learn more about how to identify and avoid recruitment fraud please visit https://careers.pypl.com/contact-us.

For the majority of employees, PayPal’s balanced hybrid work model offers 3 days in the office for effective in‑person collaboration and 2 days at your choice of either the PayPal office or your home workspace, ensuring that you equally have the benefits and conveniences of both locations.

Our Benefits

At PayPal, we’re committed to building an equitable and inclusive global economy. And we can’t do this without our most important asset-you. That’s why we offer comprehensive, choice‑based programs, to support all aspects of personal wellbeing—physical, emotional, and financial—delivering meaningful value where it matters most. We strive to create a flexible, balanced work culture with a holistic approach to benefits, including generous paid time off, healthcare coverage for you and your family, and resources to create financial security and support your mental health.

Who We Are

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

PayPal provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, PayPal will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [e-mail].

Belonging at PayPal

Our employees are central to advancing our mission, and we strive to create an environment where everyone can do their best work with a sense of purpose and belonging. Belonging at PayPal means creating a workplace with a sense of acceptance and security where all employees feel included and valued. We are proud to have a diverse workforce reflective of the merchants, consumers, and communities that we serve, and we continue to take tangible actions to cultivate inclusivity and belonging at PayPal.

Any general requests for consideration of your skills, please Join our Talent Community.

Notice to Applicants and Employees who reside within New York City.