Senior Legal Counsel, Product

About the role

Vercel is seeking a senior legal professional to guide our product development and support our rapid release cycles. You will serve as a key advisor to Engineering, Product, and Design teams, ensuring our infrastructure for agents and developers remains compliant while maintaining high velocity. In this capacity, you will own the legal strategy for product initiatives, balancing innovation with regulatory compliance and user trust. You will be responsible for navigating complex questions at the intersection of AI, data security, privacy, platform safety, intellectual property, and marketing. The role requires converting intricate regulatory requirements into clear, actionable guidance for internal stakeholders across the organization. You will create and refine internal legal processes and documentation templates to drive efficiency and consistency. Additionally, you will provide legal support for M&A, procurement, partnerships, and sales activities that require product-level expertise. This position is critical for building and improving the legal operations framework within a high-growth environment.

Key facts

Location: Hybrid - San Francisco

San Francisco (3 days per week in-office)

Engagement: Full-time

Salary: $270,000 - $300,000 base pay in San Francisco

Total compensation includes equity, benefits, and potential bonus eligibility. Compensation for roles outside of San Francisco may vary based on location.

What you'll do

• Collaborate with EPD teams to balance product innovation with regulatory compliance and user trust.
• Address legal questions regarding AI, data security, privacy, platform safety, intellectual property, and marketing.
• Convert complex regulatory requirements into clear, usable guidance for internal stakeholders.
• Create and refine internal legal processes and documentation templates to increase organizational efficiency.
• Provide legal support for M&A, procurement, partnerships, and sales, specifically where product-level expertise is required.
• Advise on the full development lifecycle, ensuring legal considerations are integrated from conception through launch.
• Analyze SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS business models to identify compliance obligations and risks.
• Navigate global regulatory standards to support the deployment of products and infrastructure.
• Offer decisive legal opinions under tight deadlines and with limited information.
• Manage and negotiate technology agreements with vendors and partners.
• Build and improve legal operations in high-growth company environments.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to align product strategies with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks associated with new technologies and product features.
• Support the implementation of robust privacy and security frameworks.

Requirements

• Active California Bar membership or eligibility for Registered In-House Counsel status.
• Minimum 8 years of total legal experience, with at least 4 years focused on product law within the software sector.
• Proven history of guiding product and engineering teams through the full development lifecycle.
• Deep knowledge of SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS business models and global regulatory standards.
• Ability to provide decisive legal opinions under tight deadlines and with limited information.
• Experience managing and negotiating technology agreements with vendors and partners.
• Demonstrated success building or improving legal operations in high-growth company environments.
• Eligibility to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship now or at any time in the future for this role.
• Must submit all application materials through the official Vercel careers site.
• Must be willing to relocate to or remain in the San Francisco area for the duration of the role.
• Must be able to commute to our San Francisco office three days a week.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States for the position offered.
• Previous experience in the technology sector is mandatory.

Nice to have

• Academic background in computer science or professional experience in web software engineering.
• Expertise in open source, platform safety, intellectual property, or commercial transactions.
• Prior personal experience using Vercel products.

Practical notes

This role is based in San Francisco and requires collaboration with teams in a hybrid environment. The successful candidate will need to commute to the San Francisco office three days per week. This is a full-time position eligible for comprehensive compensation packages including equity, benefits, and potential bonus eligibility. Vercel is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from all qualified candidates regardless of background.