Corporate Counsel

BLUE OPS INC•West Palm Beach, FL

20d•Hybrid

About The Position

Blue Ops, Inc., a Red Cat company, is seeking an experienced, business-oriented Corporate Counsel to provide legal guidance and support across corporate and operational matters. The position is hybrid and requires the successful candidate to be based in West Palm Beach, Florida, or Valdosta, Georgia. The company designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and deploys unmanned maritime systems for military, government, and commercial customers. The role’s primary focus is employment law, commercial contracting, manufacturing agreements, and legal matters involving military and government contracting, with additional support for maritime operations and general corporate matters. The Corporate Counsel will serve as a hands-on legal advisor to business, operational, engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and executive teams. The attorney will independently draft, review, negotiate, and manage agreements; advise on employment, contractual, regulatory, and operational risks; and develop practical legal solutions that support company objectives. The role also assists with intellectual property protection, compliance, disputes, outside counsel, corporate governance, strategic partnerships, and transactions. Familiarity with vessel construction, maritime liability, FAR/DFARS requirements, and defense-related intellectual property is particularly desirable. The position requires a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar, and at least five years of legal experience. A post-offer background check is required. The position involves access to technology or technical data subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions; candidates must provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization. The company participates in E-Verify. Compensation is salary plus a generous annual equity package and potential bonuses.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
At least five years of legal experience, including substantial experience in commercial contracting, employment law, or corporate legal practice.
Demonstrated ability to independently draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements.
Working knowledge of federal and Florida or Georgia state employment laws and experience providing employment-related legal advice.
Strong understanding of contractual risk allocation, including indemnification, limitation of liability, warranties, intellectual property ownership, and dispute resolution.
Ability to work directly with business leaders, operational personnel, and technical teams to develop practical legal solutions.
Excellent legal research, analytical, drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
Ability to independently manage multiple legal matters in a fast-paced business environment.
Strong professional judgment, attention to detail, and ability to appropriately manage confidential and sensitive information.
Must be able to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence for work subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.
Successful completion of a post-offer background check.

Nice To Haves

Prior military service, particularly as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, or experience supporting military procurement, acquisition, or operational matters.
Prior in-house legal experience with a defense contractor, government contractor, aerospace manufacturer, maritime defense company, or military technology business.
Experience representing companies developing, manufacturing, or integrating military equipment, unmanned systems, or defense technologies.
Experience working with DoD contracting officers, acquisition personnel, program managers, or military procurement organizations.
Familiarity with vessel construction agreements, shipbuilding or boat manufacturing contracts, vessel acceptance requirements, seaworthiness obligations, and allocation of responsibilities among manufacturers, suppliers, and technology integrators.
Understanding of maritime liability, admiralty law, vessel-related risk allocation, maritime insurance, and legal issues involving autonomous or unmanned surface vessels.
Working knowledge of FAR/DFARS clauses, government contracting compliance, subcontractor flow-down provisions, and DoD procurement requirements.
Familiarity with defense contracting intellectual property ownership and licensing, including technical data rights, government-purpose rights, restricted rights, software rights, and IP developed under government- or contractor-funded programs.
Experience with Other Transaction Authority agreements, government-funded research and development, and prototype contracting.
Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, and other defense industry regulatory requirements.
Experience supporting manufacturing operations, supply chain contracting, and product development.
Experience handling multistate employment law matters in a corporate environment.
Experience advising rapidly growing companies or businesses operating in highly regulated industries.
Active or previously held U.S. government security clearance.
Strong interest in defense technology, government procurement, and maritime operations, and willingness to develop additional expertise in these areas.

Responsibilities

Advise Human Resources and executive leadership on federal and state employment laws and workplace compliance.
Counsel on hiring, performance management, discipline, investigations, terminations, reductions in force, and employee relations.
Draft, review, and negotiate employment, executive employment, independent contractor, separation, restrictive covenant, and confidentiality agreements.
Advise on wage and hour laws, employee classification, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, leave, and workplace accommodations.
Help develop and maintain employee handbooks, employment policies, and internal compliance procedures.
Support employment disputes, administrative proceedings, and litigation in coordination with outside counsel.
Draft, review, negotiate, and manage commercial agreements, including services, manufacturing, supplier, procurement, subcontractor, engineering, technology integration, licensing, distribution, reseller, OEM, nondisclosure, teaming, partnership, and memorandum of understanding agreements.
Advise on contractual risk provisions, including indemnification, liability limits, warranties, insurance, intellectual property, confidentiality, and termination.
Support manufacturing and supply chain matters involving quality assurance, production delays, product acceptance, delivery obligations, and supplier performance.
Structure agreements involving prototype development, new product integration, and technology commercialization; work with engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and executive teams on practical contracting solutions.
Assist with contract disputes, supplier disagreements, and performance-related issues.
Support contracts and business relationships with the U.S. Department of Defense, federal agencies, prime contractors, and defense industry partners.
Draft, review, and negotiate government contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, and other defense procurement arrangements; assess procurement, performance, and compliance risks.
Advise on FAR and DFARS requirements, government contracting clauses, and subcontractor flow-down obligations.
Support Other Transaction Authority agreements, prototype programs, research and development arrangements, and production contracts.
Evaluate government contract intellectual property provisions, including technical data rights, government-purpose rights, restricted rights, and ownership of contractor-developed technology.
Coordinate with internal personnel and outside counsel on ITAR, EAR, procurement integrity, and other defense compliance obligations.
Assist with contract performance disputes, termination matters, government inquiries, and procurement-related risk management.
Provide legal support for maritime operations, including the design, manufacture, testing, and deployment of unmanned surface vessels and related technologies.
Draft, review, and negotiate vessel construction, prototype development, maritime manufacturing, vessel acquisition, and maritime services agreements.
Assess contractual responsibility and risks involving vessel design, construction, seaworthiness, inspection, testing, delivery, acceptance, damage, transportation, product liability, insurance, and operations.
Coordinate with maritime counsel on admiralty law, Coast Guard requirements, maritime insurance, and vessel-related claims when appropriate.
Advise on allocation of liability among vessel manufacturers, component suppliers, technology integrators, and end users.
Provide day-to-day legal counsel on operational, commercial, and regulatory matters; assist with corporate governance, compliance initiatives, and internal policies.
Support intellectual property protection, technology licensing, confidentiality, proprietary information, outside counsel, litigation, commercial disputes, and regulatory inquiries.
Develop and maintain standardized contracts, legal templates, and internal contracting procedures.
Support strategic partnerships, business development initiatives, and corporate transactions as needed.
Identify legal and commercial risks proactively and recommend practical solutions consistent with company objectives.