Associate Counsel

Athletic Brewing Co. • Milford, CT

3d • $175,000 - $225,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

This is a rare in-house opportunity for an experienced attorney to own a broad and substantive legal portfolio at a high-growth consumer brand. You will work directly alongside the General Counsel as a senior member of a lean, high-impact legal team with immediate visibility across the business and genuine ownership of the matters you handle. The scope is wide by design. You will touch nearly every function in the company, including Commercial, Marketing, Finance, HR, Operations, and more. It will be expected to bring not just legal precision but sound business judgment to each. Athletic operates at pace. We need a lawyer who partners with the business to move things forward, not one who simply identifies what could go wrong. The right candidate brings 6–10 years of legal experience, a meaningful portion of which has been spent in-house, and arrives with genuine depth in at least two or three of the core practice areas this role requires. We are looking for someone ready to lead matters, not support them. Your work is organized around six core functional pillars. At any given time, and on any given matter, your role may be to lead independently or to support the General Counsel. The work can shift within a single pillar depending on complexity, coverage, and business need. Existing team members cover certain areas, but this role must be capable of stepping into any pillar to lead or assist as circumstances require. There is no guarantee you will work across all six at equal depth or at the same time. What is guaranteed is that the breadth will be real and the expectations will be high.

Requirements

• 6–10 years of legal experience, with at least 3–4 years in-house at a company of meaningful scale and pace.
• Law firm background in a transactional, regulatory, or corporate practice is valuable but not sufficient on its own.
• Genuine Experience in at least two or three of the following: commercial contracting, regulatory and compliance program management, employment law, corporate finance and securities, intellectual property, or M&A.
• Technology Fluency - demonstrated comfort with legal technology and AI Tools including platforms such as Claude, Harvey, CoCounsel or similar.
• In addition, contract management systems and standard enterprise software (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, slack, etc).
• You lead from the front — you find problems before they surface, frame them clearly, and show up with solutions, not just issues
• You've operated in high-volume, fast-shifting environments and have the habits and systems to stay on top of your work without requiring oversight
• You keep your GC informed proactively — visibility and trust are built through consistent upward communication, not just competent execution
• You know when to run with something and when the stakes or novelty of an issue warrant a conversation before you proceed
• You're a genuine business partner to the teams you support — Marketing, Sales, Finance, HR, Operations, and others — and you measure your value by how confidently the business moves forward, not just legal correctness
• You build real working relationships across functions, not transactional ones
• You have high integrity, a low ego, and genuine curiosity about the business you serve
• You take ownership seriously, operate with discretion, and hold yourself to the same standard you'd expect from anyone else on the team

Nice To Haves

• Experience in the beverage, alcohol, non-alcoholic beverage, food and beverage, or broader CPG industry is a meaningful differentiator.
• Familiarity with TTB labeling and advertising requirements, state alcohol regulatory frameworks, promotional compliance, and distributor relationships is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and close commercial agreements across the full range of Athletic's business activities. Depending on the matter, you may lead the engagement independently or support the GC on more complex or high-stakes transactions. Agreement types include, but are not limited to: Vendor, supplier, and operations agreements Distribution and sales contracts Sponsorship, endorsement, and partnership agreements Production and co-manufacturing agreements Marketing, influencer, media, and content agreements Software, SaaS, and technology agreements Employment, consulting, and independent contractor agreements
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of contract templates, playbooks, and standard terms. Help build scalable processes that allow the business to move quickly while remaining protected.
• Lead or support the design, implementation, and maintenance of Athletic's legal and compliance infrastructure, depending on the nature and complexity of the matter. Responsibilities in this pillar may include: Develop and administer compliance programs, policies, decision frameworks, and training across the organization Monitor and interpret regulatory developments affecting the business — federal, state, and international — and translate them into actionable guidance Manage TTB, FDA, and state alcohol regulatory matters, including labeling, advertising, and marketing compliance Oversee sweepstakes, promotional, coupon, and general advertising programs in compliance with applicable federal and state law Interface with government agencies and regulators as needed, representing the company's interests with authority and preparation
• Serve as a key legal resource for Athletic's corporate and financial activities, leading certain matters independently and supporting the GC on others. Work in this pillar may include: Draft and negotiate equity financing documents; manage ongoing securities law compliance at the state and federal level Draft and negotiate debt and credit facility documentation; manage legal relationships with lenders Support corporate governance matters, including board-level and member-related matters and compliance with governing documents Lead legal workstreams in M&A transactions, including due diligence, deal documentation, and post-close integration Contribute legal and risk analysis to the company's strategic planning and business development activities
• Work alongside HR leadership — and at times independently — on employment law matters. While experienced HR legal support exists within the team, this role must be capable of stepping in to lead or assist with any employment matter as needed and as availability dictates. Responsibilities may include: Advise on and resolve employment law matters, including hiring, terminations, investigations, accommodation requests, and wage and hour compliance Draft, update, and maintain employee handbooks, policies, and procedures across all operating jurisdictions Support equity compensation programs and 401(k) compliance Coordinate with outside employment counsel as warranted; ensure compliance across all states where Athletic employs people
• Support and, where appropriate, lead the protection and enforcement of Athletic's IP portfolio. Work in this pillar may involve leading discrete matters or assisting the GC or outside counsel on more complex proceedings. Responsibilities may include: Manage trademark registration, maintenance, and enforcement — domestically and internationally — in coordination with outside IP counsel Advise on copyright, trade dress, and patent matters relevant to the company's products, branding, and technology Review and clear marketing creative, product names, and brand extensions for IP risk Defend against third-party infringement claims and pursue enforcement where appropriate
• Develop and maintain data privacy, information security, and consumer data policies and procedures in compliance with applicable law (CCPA, CAN-SPAM, and others) Manage and oversee litigation and dispute resolution, working with outside counsel as appropriate Respond to the evolving legal needs of a high-growth company — proactively identifying problems and delivering practical, timely solutions
• Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Benefits

• Full health, vision, dental, life, 401k with 5% company match, and Paid Parental Leave
• In addition to Vacation and Sick Leave, team members receive 12 paid days per year to dedicate to volunteering.
• We value internal mobility and team equity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed