Databases are the beating heart of every business in the world.

Cockroach Labs is the team behind CockroachDB, an open-source, distributed SQL database. We aim to build infrastructure that keeps pace with the world, so developers can focus on what matters most: building the best products. Join us on our mission to Make Data Easy. Are you ready to aim high & build to last?

About the Role

The Associate General Counsel will be the second member of the Legal team at Cockroach Labs & play a large role in shaping the Legal organization.  You will oversee a broad portfolio of cutting-edge & complex technology, privacy, international, corporate, policy & regulatory matters. You will be a trusted partner to the business & develop a deep understanding of Cockroach Labs product & strategy.  You will work closely with internal clients at all levels of leadership to assess legal & business risks & make sound decisions under tight deadlines. The Associate General Counsel will be on the ground floor of a newly formed function at a high growth startup & will have significant opportunities for growth. 

You Will

• Lead complex, cross-border, commercial negotiations with some of the biggest brands in technology, e-commerce, banking, & other industries.
• Assist the People team on growing our international employee base, structuring our commission plans & employment contracts & managing other personnel issues.
• Build best-in-class runbooks & processes to allow our rapidly growing sales team to scale their go to market efforts quickly & responsibly.
• Support product, engineering & marketing teams in developing & launching new products & features.
• Ensure compliance with a variety of laws & regulations impacting database offerings, including intellectual property, privacy, security & government contracting.
• Define & roll out various legal programs designed to improve Cockroach Labs overall legal profile, such as a company code of conduct, whistleblower policy, employee training, & others.
• Work closely with the Finance team on managing our corporate entities & other legal matters.
• Help continually improve our standard form agreements & online T&Cs, legal processes, policies & training.  

The Expectations

In your first 30 days, you will develop a strong understanding of our product offerings & the structure of our various internal functions.  You will meet & begin to develop relationships with leaders within our Revenue, Finance & People organizations. You will become very familiar with our contracts & policies. You will shadow the General Counsel on a few customer negotiations & provide feedback on the current FY 22 legal plan.  

In your first 60 days, you will have a firmer understanding of Cockroach Labs legal priorities & needs. You will take the lead in negotiating various of our commercial contracts & own executing on discrete parts of larger legal team initiatives. You will develop expertise in Cockroach Labs partnership & reseller programs & begin identifying opportunities for improvement. You will work closely with members of the People team on day to day legal matters that arise.

After 3 months, you'll be fully integrated into the team. You will be working on the legal teams core priorities & start identifying new opportunities for the teams initiatives. You will closely track functional objectives & plan ahead to ensure legal is prepared to effectively support those objectives where needed.  You will regularly liaise with key stakeholders in other Cockroach functions, including Revenue & People.  

You Have

• A broad range of direct experience with a variety of legal matters, ideally including commercial contract negotiation, employment, information security & compliance, corporate governance & entity management, intellectual property, international expansions, & privacy.
• A proven track record of driving complex cross-functional initiatives to successful completion.
• Experience identifying & implementing organizational systems designed to drive operational efficiencies.
• Excellent negotiating skills with both legal & financial/commercial issues. 
• Exceptional interpersonal & presentation skills & an ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels of the organization. 
• An entrepreneurial spirit & passion for technology & team building.
• Ability to offer clear & concise business-minded guidance around legal issues.
• Minimum 5 years experience at a top-tier law firm or in-house legal department.  Prior tech experience is a plus.  
• Member in good standing of the New York state bar or eligible to register as in-house counsel in New York State.

The Team

Reporting to Dan Hegwood - General Counsel

Dan has always been passionate about technology & is dedicated to building legal teams that empower & amplify inventive businesses & products rather than constrain it.  At Cockroach Labs, Dan is dedicated to building a Legal function that achieves these goals. Dan has experience building legal teams in high growth tech environments & has a strong understanding of privacy & big data issues.  Dan enjoys mentoring attorneys on his team & is proud that many of the lawyers he previously managed went on to General Counsel & other leadership roles at other tech companies.  In his spare time, Dan loves spending quality time with his young kids, traveling, cooking & doing anything outdoors in nature.  

Our Benefits

• 100% health insurance coverage (for you & your dependents!)
• Paid parental leave (with baby bucks)
• Flex Fridays
• Flexible time off & flexible hours
• Education reimbursement
• Relocation support

Cockroach Labs is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, building a diverse & inclusive workforce. If you need additional accommodations to feel comfortable during your interview process, please email us at accessibility@cockroachlabs.com.