Counsel, Commercial

About the role

This role focuses on the legal aspects of Coinbase's payments partnerships. The Counsel will be responsible for drafting, negotiating, and executing complex commercial agreements, including novel deal structures, with strategic partners in the fintech and payments sectors. Success in this position requires delivering practical legal advice that balances risk with business speed and flexibility, especially within a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

The Commercial Counsel will work closely with various internal teams such as Business Development, Sales, Product, Engineering, Finance/Tax, and Compliance. This cross-functional collaboration is key to solving complex problems, fostering partnerships, and efficiently closing deals. The role also involves developing scalable commercial playbooks and risk-mitigation strategies to streamline deal timelines and enhance business flexibility across the payments portfolio.

A critical aspect of this position is the ability to independently manage a high volume of deals while maintaining precision in legal drafting and risk assessment. The ideal candidate will also identify legal issues outside their direct expertise and coordinate with other legal specialists or outside counsel to ensure comprehensive resolution. Responsible use of generative AI to improve workflow efficiency and quality is also expected.

The annual base salary for this role ranges from $183,855 to $216,300 USD, with total compensation potentially including equity, bonus eligibility, and benefits.

Skills that matter here

• transactional legal experience: This role requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in drafting, structuring, and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• fintech, banks, payment processors, payment networks, and/or payment issuers/acquirers: Expertise in negotiating with these types of entities is essential for managing strategic payments partnerships.
• highly regulated financial services environments: The candidate must be able to navigate these environments and translate regulatory changes into actionable commercial guidance.
• generative AI: Responsible use of AI tools is expected to enhance workflow efficiency, reduce costs, and improve output quality.

Who this role suits

• Someone who thrives in an intense, fast-paced environment and is driven to push past perceived limits.
• A lawyer who can independently manage a high volume of complex deals without sacrificing precision.
• An individual who can provide practical, business-centric legal advice while effectively balancing risk and speed.
• A professional who enjoys cross-functional collaboration and problem-solving with diverse teams.

From the employer

What you'll do:

• Own drafting, negotiation, and execution of highly tailored commercial agreements with strategic partners and sophisticated counterparties in the payments and fintech space, including first-of-their-kind deal structures.
• Drive novel agreement frameworks and deliver practical, business-centric legal advice that balances risk with speed and flexibility.
• Partner cross-functionally with Business Development, Sales, Product, Engineering, Finance/Tax, and Compliance to solve complex problems, build partnerships, and close deals quickly.
• Build scalable commercial playbooks and risk-mitigation strategies that accelerate deal timelines and increase business flexibility across the payments portfolio.
• Identify legal issues that extend beyond your core expertise and drive resolution by coordinating with specialists across the Coinbase legal team and outside counsel.

Required Skills and Experience:

• 5+ years of transactional legal experience in-house or at a leading law firm, with a JD (or applicable equivalent) and an active license in a U.S. state.
• Demonstrated expertise drafting, structuring, and negotiating complex commercial agreements with fintechs, banks, payment processors, payment networks, and/or payment issuers/acquirers.
• Proven ability to navigate highly regulated financial services environments and translate evolving regulatory landscapes into actionable commercial guidance.
• Track record of independently managing a high-volume deal pipeline while maintaining precision in drafting and risk assessment.
• Utilizes generative AI responsibly, maintaining human oversight to deliver business-ready outputs and drive measurable improvements in workflow efficiency, cost, and quality.

Pay Transparency Notice:

• Base salary varies by location (see range below). Total compensation may also include equity and bonus eligibility, and benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401(k)). Annual base salary range (excluding equity and bonus): $183,855—$216,300 USD.
• Application Limit: Candidates may submit a maximum of 3 applications within a 6-month period.
• Equal Opportunity Employer: Coinbase is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. Applicants with criminal histories will be considered consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
• US Applicants: View [Employee Rights](https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/eppac.pdf), [Know Your Rights](https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf), and [E-Verify](https://static-assets.coinbase.com/e-verify.pdf) Notice of Participation.
• Accommodations: If you are an individual with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation, email us your request and contact info at [email protected].
• Data Privacy & Arbitration: By submitting your application, you agree to our [Candidate Privacy Notice](https://www.coinbase.com/legal/applicant_privacy_notice). US applicants: By submitting your application, you agree to [Arbitration of Disputes](https://www.coinbase.com/legal/application-arbitration-agreement).
• AI Disclosure: Coinbase is piloting an AI tool based on machine learning technologies to conduct initial screening interviews to qualified applicants.