Senior Counsel, Regulatory

Perplexity•San Francisco, CA

11h

About The Position

We’re looking for a sharp, strategic attorney to serve as our legal point of contact for government relations, regulatory strategy, law enforcement and intelligence community engagement, and high-stakes incident response. This role sits at the intersection of public policy, product, and crisis management. It requires someone who can navigate a congressional hearing prep on Monday, advise on a state AG inquiry on Tuesday, and shape our position on a proposed AI regulation on Wednesday. You’ll work closely with Legal, Public Policy/Government Affairs, Security, and Communications to protect Perplexity’s interests, shape the policy environment, and help the company navigate moments of heightened scrutiny. This is a build-from-scratch opportunity: you’ll have the mandate to design and scale this function as the company grows.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (DC or ability to obtain in-house admission strongly preferred)
At least 7+ years of post-JD experience, with a meaningful combination of: in-house at a technology or data-driven company; government experience (e.g., DOJ, agency enforcement, Hill oversight, intelligence or national security components); and/or a law firm practice focused on government investigations, regulatory enforcement, or public policy counseling
Hands-on experience managing or responding to government investigations, regulatory inquiries, or congressional oversight (including document collections, witness preparation, and written responses)
Track record of building positive, trust-based relationships with regulators and government stakeholders
Experience engaging with law enforcement and/or intelligence community entities on legal process, emergency requests, or national security matters
Excellent judgment under pressure, with the ability to translate complex legal and policy issues into clear, actionable guidance for non-lawyers
Strong writing, advocacy, and presentation skills—including the ability to draft persuasive submissions to regulators and policymakers
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across functions (Legal, Policy, Security, Product, Communications) and to build new processes in a fast-moving environment
Hands-on attitude, low ego, intellectual curiosity, and comfort with ambiguity in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape

Responsibilities

Serve as the company’s counsel for federal and state regulatory inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions involving our products and services
Manage relationship-building with regulators, legislators, and other public policy stakeholders on behalf of the legal team
Advise on and coordinate legal responses to law enforcement and intelligence community requests (subpoenas, national security letters, MLATs, other compulsory process), assessing scope, risk, and escalation paths
Support Government Affairs/Public Policy by providing legal analysis of proposed legislation and regulations, and help craft positions, comment letters, and advocacy materials
Prepare and review written submissions, presentations, and briefing materials for regulators, policymakers, and oversight bodies—including responses to congressional and committee inquiries
Prepare executives and subject-matter experts for congressional hearings, briefings, depositions, and high-level government meetings, including mock Q&A and risk-spotting
Provide legal guidance on the public policy implications of product design, partnering closely with Product, Security, and Privacy teams
Lead the legal workstream in incident response and crisis management (security incidents, misuse of technology, significant policy or media issues), aligning legal strategy with communications and operational response
Advise on external communications related to investigations, regulatory matters, and public policy issues, in coordination with Communications and Public Policy
Track and synthesize developments in technology policy, national security, privacy, AI governance, and related areas; brief senior leadership on emerging risks and opportunities
Establish and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders (outside counsel, industry associations, civil society, and policy experts)
Design and deliver internal training on government inquiries, law enforcement interactions, and policy-sensitive risk areas
Build and manage the function and team as the business scales