General Counsel (Fractional with Path to Full Time)

Pursuit • New York City, NY

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

Pursuit is hiring a General Counsel to own its legal strategy and function, protect the organization, and support its growth. Reporting to the CEO, the General Counsel will serve as Pursuit’s in-house legal lead, advising the CEO, executive team, and board on governance, compliance, contracts, and complex financial transactions. The role will build and manage a network of elite pro bono legal counsel and engage paid outside counsel when appropriate.

The position supports Pursuit’s hybrid structure, which includes a 501(c)(3) and a public benefit corporation, as well as innovative financing such as the Pursuit Good Jobs Agreement. The General Counsel will help the organization advance initiatives involving AI, new regions, and revenue streams while balancing legal risk with Pursuit’s mission and objectives. This is a fractional role equivalent to approximately three days per week, with a clear path to full-time as the organization scales. The role follows a hybrid work pattern, with on-site work in Long Island City on core days and work-from-anywhere flexibility.

Requirements

• At least 8 years of corporate legal experience, including leading an in-house legal function at a small or midsize organization through growth.
• Deep transactional expertise, particularly in contract law.
• Experience building legal and compliance processes from scratch.
• Experience defining, shaping, and scaling revenue partnerships.
• Ability to work strategically and tactically, moving between organization-wide strategy and day-to-day execution.
• Solutions-oriented approach to managing risk without unnecessarily slowing the organization.
• Comfort using AI tools to draft, analyze, and advance work, with an informed perspective on legal questions raised by AI.
• Good standing with the New York Bar, or ability to immediately qualify for Registered In-House Counsel (RIHC) status.
• Deep alignment with Pursuit’s mission and genuine interest in technology, AI, and economic mobility.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of 501(c)(3) organizations and benefit corporations.
• Experience in the tech industry.
• Experience with federal and state regulatory agencies and matters.

Responsibilities

• Build, refine, and oversee Pursuit’s legal strategy in partnership with senior leadership, the board, and outside counsel; advise the CEO, executive team, and board.
• Build and manage a lean legal function, including a bench of pro bono counsel and paid outside counsel as needed.
• Guide legal aspects of initiatives such as the AI Jobs Institute and pilots in new regions and revenue streams, including entity and partnership structures, contracts, and regulatory questions.
• Drive execution across governance, contracts, and policy; ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements; and manage litigation and arbitration matters.
• Manage interactions among Pursuit’s 501(c)(3), public benefit corporation, and other legal entities.
• Manage and execute financial transactions, including the Pursuit Good Jobs Agreement, charitable donations, recoverable grants, fee-for-service contracts, and impact-investment financing.
• Advise on intellectual property and technology matters, including ownership, licensing, and use of curriculum, software, data, and AI tools.
• Shape commercial structures and develop partnership contracts with vendors, sponsors, employment partners, funders, and donors.
• Create and manage agreements, contracts, and policies for staff, Builders, volunteers, and other community stakeholders.
• Provide legal advice on employee and employment-relations issues.
• Use AI to support contract review and redlining, drafting, clause libraries, templates, and compliance tracking; help establish practical guardrails for responsible AI use.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and a full benefits package.
• Bonus.
• 401(k) match.
• Unlimited paid time off.
• All-Pursuit summer break during the last week of August and a week-long holiday during the last week of December.
• Hybrid schedule with Tuesday–Thursday on-site in Long Island City and Monday and Friday work-from-anywhere flexibility.
• Catered lunches once a week and snacks.
• Dedicated time to build AI skills.

What This Job Offers

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