Product Counsel

Sydecar•San Francisco, CA

1d•$180,000 - $230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Sydecar is seeking its first Product Counsel, a securities lawyer to collaborate with product managers, engineering managers, and designers. The role involves ensuring that product development adheres to regulatory scrutiny, particularly concerning Regulation D, the Investment Advisers Act, and customer agreements, without hindering innovation. This position requires an embedded approach, actively participating in team standups, customer calls, and advocating for business initiatives while maintaining rigorous standards. The Product Counsel will educate product teams on relevant regulations to enable better decision-making and streamline legal processes. The role reports to the Head of Legal & Compliance, with the CEO as a day-to-day partner.

Requirements

4–7 years of legal practice with substantial experience in Reg D/private fund securities (Reg D 506(b)/(c), accredited investor rules, ICA exemptions, fund formation).
Prior in-house experience at a fintech, brokerage, fund admin, or comparable financial services platform.
Proven track record of direct partnership with product or engineering teams (embedded experience preferred over transactional or litigation background).
Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited US law school.
Member in good standing of at least one US bar.
Ability to write clearly and concisely in plain language, explaining complex regulatory nuances to non-legal audiences.
Comfortable disagreeing with stakeholders when necessary, while also finding paths to 'yes'.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with the Investment Advisers Act, Form ADV, and RIA/ERA registration mechanics.
Experience drafting, negotiating, or refreshing customer agreements and Terms of Service for SaaS or fintech platforms.
Experience with eSign/DocuSign and electronic execution under E-SIGN and UETA.
KYC/AML literacy (BSA, OFAC, beneficial ownership rules).

Responsibilities

Embed with product teams (Investors, Deal Organizers, Financial Systems, Operations) by attending standups, planning sessions, and design reviews.
Serve as the primary legal contact for Product Managers scoping features with legal implications, providing quick guidance.
Build collaborative relationships with key stakeholders (CEO, CTO, CX/Deal Ops, PMs) to ensure legal functions as a speed multiplier.
Conduct securities and regulatory analysis for product changes, including Reg D offerings, accredited investor verification, ICA exemptions, SPV mechanics, and RIA strategy (Form ADV, advisory rules).
Address legal aspects of banker/broker-dealer adjacencies, transfer of interests, and jurisdictional issues.
Quality-review in-product copy related to securities, suitability, and risk (labels, attestations, prompts, modals, error messages).
Educate product and content teams on the importance of specific language in customer-facing materials.
Refresh customer-facing legal documents, including pricing agreements and Terms of Service, as the product evolves.
Partner on data handling, AI-use policies, and vendor contracts intersecting with product.
Streamline the legal-product workflow by building playbooks, templates, and decision trees for self-service.
Improve the efficiency of legal reviews for complex issues, ensuring clear intake and predictable turnaround times.