Legal Counsel

About the role

This Legal Counsel position at Alpaca focuses on ensuring regulatory compliance for the company's financial products and services. The role involves leading legal reviews of product design, marketing, and customer onboarding processes. A key aspect is monitoring regulatory developments from agencies like the SEC, FINRA, and CFTC, and translating these into practical guidance for internal teams. The successful candidate will help the business implement innovative financial offerings within a compliant framework.

The role requires providing strategic legal advice across various business areas, including digital assets, payments, and data privacy. Responsibilities also include drafting legal documents such as agreements and policies, conducting research on novel legal questions, and managing disputes. This position demands a proactive approach to legal challenges and the ability to offer clear, actionable guidance to stakeholders.

Success in this role means effectively partnering with diverse teams like Product, Brokerage, Crypto, Compliance, and Sales. The Legal Counsel will support the company's engagement with regulators and ensure that new legal requirements are integrated into Alpaca's systems and procedures. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating strong judgment and the ability to manage multiple projects independently.

The salary for this position ranges from $112,000 to $188,000 USD.

Skills that matter here

• Broker-dealer regulation: This skill is central to advising on compliance with rules from agencies like FINRA and the Securities Exchange Act.
• Cryptoasset regulation: The role requires familiarity with regulatory regimes from the SEC, CFTC, and FinCEN as they apply to digital assets.
• J.D. degree: A Juris Doctor degree and active membership in a U.S. state bar are fundamental requirements for this legal position.
• Strategic legal advice: The counsel will be expected to deliver business-oriented legal advice that supports growth while maintaining compliance.
• Written communication: Strong written communication is necessary for drafting agreements, disclosures, policies, and providing clear legal guidance.
• Collaboration: The role involves partnering cross-functionally with various internal teams, requiring a collaborative working style.

Who this role suits

• A legal professional with 5-7 years of experience, specifically in U.S. broker-dealer regulation.
• Someone familiar with cryptoasset regulatory regimes and experienced in advising fintechs or financial institutions.
• An individual who can provide strategic, business-oriented legal advice under tight deadlines.
• A self-motivated professional comfortable with ambiguity and capable of managing multiple projects independently.

From the employer

• Navigate complex regulatory frameworks to help the business design and implement innovative financial products and services.
• Lead legal reviews of product design, marketing, and customer onboarding processes to ensure compliance with applicable regulations while enabling business growth.
• Support other areas of the business, such as digital assets, payments, and data privacy, as needed.
• Advise on the application of new or anticipated legal requirements and regulatory guidance to the firm’s systems, policies, and procedures.
• Monitor regulatory developments at relevant governmental agencies and self-regulatory organizations, including the SEC, FINRA, CFTC, FinCEN, and OFAC.
• Support the company’s engagement with regulators, including the SEC, FINRA, and other agencies.
• Draft agreements, disclosures, policies, and procedures.
• Conduct legal research and analysis on novel questions and provide clear, practical guidance to internal stakeholders.
• Manage litigation, arbitration, and other disputes, including developing case strategy, coordinating with outside counsel, responding to claims and discovery, and advising the business on risk and resolution options.
• Partner cross-functionally with teams outside of Legal, including the firm’s Product, Brokerage, Crypto, Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, Sales, and Success functions.

• J.D. degree (or foreign equivalent) and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
• 5-7+ years of legal experience, with at least 3 years focused on U.S. broker-dealer regulation, including the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, regulations and rules thereunder, FINRA rules, and other federal and state securities laws.
• Familiarity with U.S. cryptoasset regulatory regimes, including the SEC, CFTC, NYDFS, FinCEN, and AML requirements.
• Strong experience advising fintechs or financial institutions, ideally in a startup or growth-stage environment.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver strategic, business-oriented legal advice under tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a practical, collaborative working style.
• Strong judgment, self-motivation, and the ability to work independently and manage multiple projects.
• Comfort with ambiguity and a growth mindset in a fast-scaling company.

• Competitive Salary & Stock Options
• Health Benefits
• New Hire Home-Office Setup: One-time USD $500
• Monthly Stipend: USD $150 per month via a Brex Card
• Alpaca is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce.