General Counsel

Gyde•Austin, TX

5d•$300,000 - $400,000

About The Position

Gyde is seeking a General Counsel to build and lead its in-house legal function as the company acquires and scales insurance brokerages. The role brings core corporate, employment, benefits, contracts, and diligence work in-house; directs outside counsel on acquisitions and specialist matters; and builds the legal foundation and operating processes needed to close and integrate deals efficiently. The General Counsel will manage the Head of Legal & Compliance, partner with senior leaders across the company, and build the legal team and legal operations as Gyde grows. The position owns corporate governance and entity management, equity administration, employment matters, and legal work across the acquisition lifecycle. It also establishes guardrails for AI voice and chat products, privacy and technology agreements, carrier and regulatory risks, company-wide contracting, insurance coverage, and disputes. The General Counsel is expected to balance hands-on legal execution with executive and board-level advice, while using AI and automation to support a lean legal team.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) and an active bar license in good standing.
8–10+ years of experience, including law-firm training in corporate / emerging companies or employment law.
At least 3 years in-house as the first or most senior lawyer at a high-growth, PE- or VC-backed company.
Demonstrated record of bringing work in-house from outside counsel and reducing legal spend without slowing the business.
Hands-on fluency in multistate employment law, ERISA and controlled-group rules, FMLA, worker classification, and I-9 / E-Verify.
Command of formation documents and consents, equity plans and grants, CIIAAs, OWBPA-compliant releases, employee representations and covenants in purchase agreements, and BAAs.
Buy-side M&A experience and a track record of managing outside deal counsel to scope and budget.
At least 3 years managing lawyers or compliance professionals.
Executive presence and ability to advise the CEO, board, and investors.
Comfort using AI and automation to increase legal team capacity.
Entrepreneurial mindset, strong ownership, and interest in building rather than inheriting the legal function.
Ability to travel up to approximately 25%, including time in Austin, NYC, and portfolio agencies.

Nice To Haves

Experience in insurance distribution, healthcare, or financial services.
Familiarity with CMS and state Department of Insurance regulation.
Experience with serial acquisitions.

Responsibilities

Own corporate records, governance, and entity management for the holding company and acquired entities, including formation documents, board and stockholder consents, and minute books.
Bring the equity program in-house, including plan documents, grant agreements, 409A coordination, and plan administration with Finance.
Work with the CEO, CFO, and outside counsel on financings and board and investor legal matters.
Own and maintain the employee agreement library across states, including offer letters, CIIAAs, commission agreements, separation agreements, and releases.
Advise HR and leadership on employment matters, including classification, wage and hour, leave, investigations, and separations, using outside specialists when needed.
Serve as internal legal lead on acquisitions through signing and close; direct outside M&A counsel on scope, staffing, budget, and turnaround.
Establish standard deal positions and playbooks covering matters such as indemnities, seller liability, agency E&O tail coverage, earnouts, producer retention and restrictive covenants, and commission run-off and clawback exposure.
Own employee and benefits diligence, including worker classification, handbook migration, controlled-group and benefit plan review, and I-9 / E-Verify compliance.
Lead post-close legal integration of acquired entities.
Own the governance framework for voice and chat agents, including TCPA consent, call recording, AI disclosures, HIPAA, and state privacy obligations; bring in specialist counsel for detailed opinions and provide product and engineering teams with clear guardrails.
Review data, lead, and technology agreements, including BAAs and vendor and SaaS contracts; own related templates and playbooks.
Set the company’s legal and compliance risk framework and report on it to leadership and the board.
Review carrier, FMO, and override agreements for legal risks, including commission, clawback, and termination terms; maintain review checklists and escalation paths.
Direct outside regulatory counsel on CMS marketing rules, state Department of Insurance matters, and licensing, working with the Head of Legal & Compliance, who handles day-to-day compliance.
Own company-wide contract review and NDA, vendor, and partner templates.
Manage the company’s D&O, E&O, cyber, and EPLI insurance program with Finance and brokers, including coverage for newly acquired entities.
Manage litigation and disputes through outside counsel.
Lead and develop the Head of Legal & Compliance and build the legal team, including hiring, intake, matter tracking, and AI-assisted contract and diligence workflows.
Own the outside counsel budget and bring work in-house when it lowers cost without slowing the business.
Build early legal operations support so high-volume work, such as diligence checklists and records maintenance, does not depend on the General Counsel.
Travel up to approximately 25%, including time in Austin, NYC, and portfolio agencies.