Senior Commercial Counsel

About Highnote  Founded in 2020 by a team of leaders from Braintree, PayPal, and Lending Club, Highnote is an all in one card issuer processor and program management platform. We give digital-first organizations the flexibility to easily issue and process payment cards that accelerate business growth and profitability.  We’ve raised $104M+ and grown our team to 100+ employees. Headquartered in San Francisco, we’ve managed to build one of the most advanced payments teams in the industry, with team memb ers in 22+ US states.  Operating through our core values of customer obsession, executional excellence, intentional inclusion, we’re helping businesses grow for the future by creating the payment products demanded by tomorrow, with the ability t o solve for use cases that don’t exist yet. We are fast-moving, hands-on, and strongly believe everyone deserves a seat at the table. We believe we’re unlocking incredible opportunities that can change the future of payments, as long as we have the right people to make it happen.  Job Description Highnote is seeking our first in-house Legal Counsel reporting directly to our COO. As the founding member of the legal team, you will have the opportunity to own a broad range of legal responsibilities, partner closely with leaders across the company and help our business rapidly grow. You will also help establish the company’s legal policies and procedures, and be a key stakeholder in critical decisions about new products and strategies.  What you’ll be doing: Draft MSAs and participate in negotiations with prospective customers Draft, structure, and negotiate commercial agreements with financial institutions, card networks, alternative payment providers, gateway service providers, technology service providers, and channel partners  Manage legal affairs of the company, including partnering with our internal teams to analyze and communicate legal risks, provide legal guidance and manage external legal resources Create, update, and implement external templates for a variety of card programs, including cardholder agreements, disclosures, privacy policies, and other documents as required Provide regulatory interpretation and guidance related to card programs, seeking outside counsel where necessary Provide legal interpretation related to compliance policies covering KYC/AML, OFAC, UDAP & UDAAP, anti-bribery, information security, and data protection/privacy to ensure compliance with US and international laws and regulations Serve as the subject matter expert for laws and regulations applicable to the business, including US (and international) money transmitter and payment systems regulations as well as card network rules Participate and provide guidance in product and new feature reviews to ensure adherence with applicable laws Provide guidance to business teams to ensure internal operations, products, and services are developed and launched in accordance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements Manage litigation and legal complaints involving the company What we are looking for: 8 + years experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts in the payments / fintech space 3-5 years advising on regulatory financial services matters ranging from BSA/AML to RegZ Demonstrated willingness to roll up sleeves and execute all manner of tasks, including day to day tactical duties and long term legal strategic vision Customer focused in house counsel with a desire and ability to work at the speed of the business  JD from an accredited law school Admitted to the bar and in good standing or otherwise authorized to practice law (e.g., have registered in-house status) in the state in which the position is located What it takes to be successful: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a strong attention to detail Humble and flexible with an open and honest communication style and an ability to collaborate across all areas and levels Proactive and action oriented: no task is too small or insignificant for you Naturally takes ownership and able to deliver results in a fast-paced and often ambiguous environment Ability to manage multiple and shifting priorities and continue to deliver results Why Highnote? We’re a startup that allows for our employees to truly build from the ground up and impact every layer of our organization.  We’re a team of payments obsessed individuals. While some of us come from the fintech world, some of us don’t. We value the varied backgrounds and the diverse perspectives of our employees.  We’re small on hierarchy and big on growth. We’re a flat organization that allows everyone to have direct exposure to our leadership team. We are looking for builders who thrive in ambiguity.  We’re backed by Oak HC/FT, Costanoa Ventures, and XYZ Ventures. Angel Investors include Bill Ready (CEO at Pinterest) and Renaud Laplanche (Co-Founder & CEO of Upgrade). Highnote benefits Flexible Paid Time Off  100% healthcare coverage + 75% coverage for dependents 401k program Up to 16 weeks off for Maternity leave + up to 6 weeks of Paternity leave Equity in Highnote Stipend to build out your home office; internet and phone reimbursement At Highnote we have built a total rewards philosophy that includes fair, equitable, geo-based compensation that is performance and potential based. Our compensation packages are competitive based on robust market research and are a combination of a cash salary, equity, and benefits. In compliance with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, the annual salary range for applicants is $225,000-$275,000. Please note that positions located in San Francisco are hybrid and include core working days of Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in office.  Highnote is a diverse and inclusive company committed to growing a diverse and inclusive team. We invite people from all backgrounds and identities to apply. We do not discriminate based on gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, age, national origin, citizenship, disability, pregnancy status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by US federal state or local laws, or the laws of the country or jurisdiction where you work. Additionally, we encourage everyone to share which pronouns you wish for us to use when addressing you (i.e.: she/her, he/him, they/them, etc).