General Counsel

Masterworks•New York, NY

20d•Onsite

About The Position

Masterworks is seeking a General Counsel to take over primary responsibility for the company's legal function, reporting directly to the CEO. This is a hands-on, individual contributor role rather than a traditional management position: the successful candidate will personally handle the substantial majority of day to day legal work rather than delegate it to a team of junior attorneys. The outgoing General Counsel will remain available on a consulting basis during the transition, providing support and mentoring as needed, but the new General Counsel will be expected to own the legal function independently. You will shape the company's legal strategy, drive its securities offerings and other corporate transactions, and support compliance with applicable U.S. federal securities laws, all while rolling up your sleeves on day to day drafting, negotiating, and problem solving. Our ideal candidate is a sharp, rigorous, intellectually versatile lawyer who learns fast, solves problems creatively, and delivers practical answers in a fast paced environment, and who can inspire confidence and trust among business teams who will look to you as their primary source of legal guidance.

Requirements

Hands on experience with securities offerings is strongly preferred, ideally including Regulation A, Regulation D, or registered offerings; familiarity with the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 is a plus
Approximately 7 years of legal experience, including training at a nationally recognized law firm in capital markets, corporate finance, or M&A, followed by in house experience in a similar area
Comfortable operating as an individual contributor, personally executing matters end to end rather than relying on a large in house team, while still commanding credibility with the executive team and business partners; the outgoing General Counsel will be available on a consulting basis for support and mentoring during the transition
A securities, capital markets, M&A, funds, or general corporate background is strongly preferred
J.D. with strong academic credentials; admitted to a U.S. state bar in good standing
Demonstrated facility with technology, including fluency with AI tools and a genuine interest in integrating them into legal workflows
A business minded professional capable of balancing legal and compliance considerations with commercial objectives
Exceptional attention to detail, analytical rigor, practical judgment, and excellent written and verbal communication skills

Responsibilities

Developing financial products and offering features, personally preparing and reviewing offering materials, overseeing ongoing Regulation A reporting and related SEC filings, and supporting compliance with U.S. federal securities laws across the company's offering, trading, and investor communication activities
Assisting with regulatory analysis relating to the company's investment vehicles and new product structures
Structuring and executing corporate transactions, including financings, strategic partnerships, and reorganizations, typically as the primary attorney driving the deal from start to finish (with outside counsel and consulting support available as needed)
Negotiating commercial arrangements and agreements directly with business partners, vendors, and service providers
Maintaining governance over the Company and its investment vehicles, and partnering with the Chief Compliance Officer to develop and implement compliance policies, procedures, and controls
Providing hands on legal support across employment and HR matters, intellectual property, data privacy, Terms of Use, marketing review, and other general corporate matters, working cross functionally with the financial operations, marketing, HR, and art acquisition teams
Maintaining and building on the legal function's infrastructure, including templates, processes, and outside counsel relationships, to support continued growth and any future legal hires