Sr. Product Counsel

the Role Ariat•San Leandro, CA

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

Ariat is looking for a Senior Product Counsel to join their growing legal team. This role will serve as a strategic legal partner to the teams responsible for bringing products to market, advising on regulatory, compliance, and privacy considerations for a global consumer brand. The Senior Product Counsel will help build and scale compliance and privacy frameworks to support Ariat's growth. This is a high-visibility role with the opportunity to shape programs from the ground up, working directly with product development, sourcing, marketing, and sustainability teams. The ideal candidate is organized, proactive, eager to learn, customer-focused, collaborative, and experienced working with outside counsel. Ariat operates on a hybrid work model, requiring a minimum of three days onsite per week in the San Leandro, CA office. Only local Bay Area candidates or those willing to relocate will be considered.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA accredited law school.
Licensed to practice law and in good standing in CA.
5+ years of legal experience.
Meaningful exposure to at least one of the following: regulatory compliance, product safety, privacy, or consumer products law.
Ability to manage risk effectively and translate legal requirements into practical business guidance.
Experience working in-house or closely with in-house legal teams is preferred.
Strong legal judgment and a willingness to learn the industry.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work cross-functionally with multiple stakeholders and teams on multiple projects at once.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability and willingness to take initiative to address problems and make continuous process improvements.
Team player who manages well under pressure, while maintaining a good sense of humor.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience with a consumer products, retail, or apparel brand is a plus, but not required.

Responsibilities

Serve as a go-to legal partner for product development, sourcing, marketing, and sustainability teams, advising on regulatory considerations throughout the product lifecycle.
Advise on product safety, environmental regulations, and labeling requirements affecting footwear, apparel, and accessories, including California Proposition 65, PFAS and other chemical restrictions, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, sustainability and ESG-related disclosure requirements, supply chain transparency statutes (e.g., CA Transparency in Supply Chains Act, UK Modern Slavery Act), and textile and labeling regulations.
Monitor, track, and analyze developing state, federal, and global legislation and regulatory proposals, and translate those developments into clear, actionable guidance for business teams.
Advise on compliance strategies for Ariat's multi-state and international retail and e-commerce operations.
Develop scalable compliance frameworks, policies, and procedures that support Ariat's global growth while maintaining consistent standards across all markets.
Advise on compliance with U.S. state privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA and emerging state frameworks), federal privacy requirements, and international privacy regulations (GDPR, where applicable).
Partner with cross-functional teams to provide guidance on data collection practices, consumer data requests, vendor data processing agreements, cookie/tracking compliance, and employee privacy matters.
Draft, review, and maintain privacy policies, data processing agreements, and related documentation.
Support privacy impact assessments and advise on new technologies, platforms, and data initiatives.
Monitor and assess new and evolving privacy legislation across U.S. states and relevant international jurisdictions.
Assist with other responsibilities as assigned based on business needs.