General Counsel

Monstro•New York, NY

About The Position

Monstro is hiring a sharp, seasoned General Counsel (Senior Vice President level) to serve as our founding legal architect. This role will report to the CEO and is highly cross-functional in nature. As the sole legal hire, our GC will own the full spectrum of all things legal as it pertains to Monstro: for example corporate matters, contracts (such as vendor contracts, client contracts etc), data governance, IP strategy, and regulatory compliance. Vendor contracts - API access, data licensing, third-party AI infrastructure - are an immediate and ongoing priority and must be built to scale from day one. As Monstro enters new markets, this role owns the compliance infrastructure for each expansion, managing local counsel and building regulatory frameworks ahead of operational entry. The right person also embeds with product and engineering on regulatory questions and leads complex institutional client negotiations. Monstro handles PII and highly sensitive financial data - some of the most regulated in any industry with high stakes for compliance. The SVP General Counsel is the person who keeps the company protected across every deal, market entry, data relationship, and corporate decision. As Monstro scales globally and takes on larger contracts, a well-built legal function becomes a direct competitive advantage. Success is measured by how confidently Monstro can grow - and how rarely legal becomes the reason it can’t.

Requirements

10-12+ years of legal experience, with meaningful in-house experience at a fintech, AI company, or financial institution - or a combination of top-tier law firm and in-house
JD required; New York bar admission strongly preferred
Deep familiarity with the legal and regulatory landscape for AI and data-driven products in financial services
Proven negotiator on complex commercial contracts with banks or similar regulated counterparties
Hands-on experience with data licensing, API agreements, and third-party vendor contracts
Experience supporting international expansion - entity structuring, local counsel management, multi-jurisdictional compliance
Commercially minded - finds solutions that protect without stalling momentum

Responsibilities

Own the Legal Function: Be our legal authority on every legal matter across all functions - including but not limited to internal legal ops, contracts, data privacy, equity, governance, IP strategy, fundraising
Build & own the legal function from scratch - processes, templates, playbooks, and risk frameworks that scale - and be the trusted advisor to execs on legal risk & strategy
Manage primary outside counsel strategically, knowing what to handle in-house, when to escalate, and when to go direct to local counsel
Leverage & implement AI tools within legal as appropriate
Vendor Contracts & Data Agreements: Own all vendor contract negotiation and management such as those covering data licensing, API access, and third-party AI infrastructure
Build contract frameworks and playbooks to strategically manage vendor relationships
Partner with engineering to ensure contractual terms align with how data is ingested, processed, and attributed
Client Contracts & Commercial Legal: Lead negotiation and drafting of complex institutional client agreements - MSAs, data processing agreements, and deployment contracts with banks and financial institutions
Partner with the commercial team to structure deals, resolve blockers, and close quickly
Advise on liability, indemnification, IP ownership, and data rights
Regulatory Compliance: Own Monstro’s compliance & regulation posture across all areas: financial services, data privacy, AI governance, and consumer protection in every jurisdiction
Monitor the regulatory landscape for AI in financial services and action as needed
Liaise with regulators and ensure Monstro remains audit-ready
International Expansion & Local Counsel: Build frameworks & strategies to remain legal/compliant as we scale to new jurisdictions
Manage the process of hiring, partnering with or managing outside counsel in new areas
Advise on cross-border data transfers, local licensing, and jurisdiction-specific contract requirements
IP Strategy: Define and own Monstro's IP strategy - focused on structuring and documenting proprietary technology, not defaulting to patent filings
Advise on trade secret protection, confidentiality frameworks, and what makes Monstro's technology distinct and protectable
Manage existing trademark filings and partner with engineering and product to embed IP thinking into how the company builds