General Counsel

Pearl•San Francisco, CA

6d•Remote

About The Position

Pearl is seeking an AI-focused General Counsel to lead legal strategy for its global business, which combines AI with verified human expertise to deliver professional services. The General Counsel will serve as the company’s lead legal advisor, working directly with the CEO, executive team, and Board of Directors on corporate strategy, product innovation, consumer trust, and global operations. The role covers AI development and use, products and platforms, intellectual property, privacy and data protection, consumer protection, corporate governance, financing and strategic transactions, employment, regulation, litigation and disputes, and global compliance. The General Counsel will lead and develop a lean Legal team, shape its priorities and operating model, and advance the team’s use of AI. The position requires both executive-level leadership and direct involvement in matters requiring the General Counsel’s judgment. The role is remote and limited to applicants working from the listed states.

Requirements

10+ years of in-house legal leadership experience in technology, B2B/B2C or two-sided internet marketplaces, platform e-commerce, or a similarly complex business.
Experience as a General Counsel or senior legal leader in a highly regulated industry, with meaningful responsibility for legal strategy, executive advice, and Board matters.
Demonstrated AI fluency and ability to lead AI adoption across Legal.
Business-minded legal judgment and a track record of finding practical paths through complex issues.
Strong corporate generalist judgment, with depth in governance, consumer protection, and complex litigation or regulatory matters.
Experience leading legal work on significant financing, M&A, or other strategic transactions.
Experience advising on technology products, privacy and data use, and legal issues affecting customer-facing businesses.
Ability to lead a team, develop senior legal talent, and determine when to delegate and when to engage directly.
Clear, concise written and verbal communication, including the ability to advise executives and align stakeholders in an often-asynchronous environment.
J.D. and active membership in good standing with a U.S. state bar.

Responsibilities

Set Legal function priorities in line with Pearl’s business strategy, product plans, and significant risks.
Advise leaders on legal requirements versus business choices, including whether to proceed, mitigate, or change course.
Anticipate emerging issues and involve Legal and the executive team early in important decisions.
Oversee corporate governance, Board support, equity matters, corporate policies, and global entity management.
Lead legal strategy for financing, M&A, strategic partnerships, diligence, and other significant corporate initiatives.
Partner with Finance and leadership on investor communications and significant corporate disclosures.
Own the approach to major litigation, class actions, disputes, investigations, and regulatory inquiries.
Partner with PR and Marketing on communicating Pearl’s mission, products, services, and impact.
Direct outside counsel on critical matters, including strategy, quality, and cost.
Partner with Product, Engineering, and business leaders on AI-enabled products and customer experiences.
Guide legal decisions involving consumer protection, marketing, subscriptions, privacy, data use, intellectual property, and evolving AI regulation.
Oversee major commercial negotiations and establish practical standards for routine agreements.
Partner with People and business leaders on significant employment matters, internal policies, and compliance issues.
Support the legal needs of international operations, working with local experts where appropriate.
Enable teams to comply with regulations affecting e-commerce, including privacy, security, consumer protection, algorithmic pricing, and global AI statutes.
Mentor and develop legal leaders and establish clear ownership, effective delegation, and accountability across the team.
Set the Legal department’s operating model, staffing priorities, budget, and outside counsel strategy.
Champion the use of AI across Legal to improve the team’s effectiveness and efficiency.