Senior Product Counsel

Slate Auto

4d•$144,122 - $285,319

About The Position

Slate is hiring a Senior Product Counsel to support go-to-market for Slate. Reporting to Slate’s Deputy General Counsel, you will advise on consumer and B2B/fleet transactions and customer agreements, marketing and advertising, service and customer escalations, consumer and commercial finance, and optional products. We care more about how you think than what you’ve already done. The subject matter here spans commercial contracts, advertising and consumer protection law, finance, and licensing — and it will keep shifting as Slate’s go-to-market model evolves. What we’re really looking for is a legal athlete: someone who has repeatedly shown they can absorb a new area of law quickly, ask the right questions of subject-matter experts, and turn ambiguity into a workable, business-ready answer. Prior experience in the areas below is a real plus, but adaptability, judgment, and adapting with a fast learning curve matter more to us than a perfect resume match.

Requirements

J.D. and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
8+ years of relevant experience, in-house and/or at a law firm, with meaningful exposure to any combination of commercial contracts, marketing/advertising law, consumer finance, or licensing/regulatory compliance — automotive or OEM experience is a plus, not a requirement
A demonstrated track record of picking up new legal subject matter quickly and running with it, rather than deep experience in only one narrow area
Experience with consumer transactions, retail or e-commerce terms, and/or marketing review is helpful; experience with dealer, finance, or insurance licensing is a plus
Comfort advising on — and helping build — process where no playbook exists yet, in a fast-moving startup
Excellent judgment translating business and marketing objectives into legal risk, and legal risk back into practical, actionable guidance
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to advise executives and guide non-lawyers alike
A genuine appetite for learning new areas of law on the job and stepping into whatever the business needs next
Fast, disciplined self-teaching — comfortable becoming the go-to expert in a new legal area within weeks, not years
Sound legal judgment under ambiguity and time pressure
Ability to build scalable process and systems where none exist
Strong cross-functional relationship-building across Legal, Sales, Marketing, Service, Finance, and Compliance
Practical, business-minded counseling style
Discretion and composure handling customer-facing and reputationally sensitive matters
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Nice To Haves

automotive or OEM experience is a plus, not a requirement
experience with dealer, finance, or insurance licensing is a plus

Responsibilities

Draft, negotiate, and maintain customer-facing agreements for direct-to-consumer sales and fleet transactions, including terms of sale, fleet purchase agreements, and related order and delivery documentation
Advise on go-to-market structuring for consumer and fleet channels, including pricing, promotions, and program terms
Partner with sales teams to structure and document commercial vehicle sales
Support the legal aspects of Slate’s direct sales model, including e-commerce terms of use, purchase agreements, and required disclosures
Advise on know-your-customer (KYC), anti-money laundering, and other applicable transaction-level legal and regulatory requirements for consumer and fleet sales
Partner with Product, Engineering, and E-Commerce teams to build and maintain the legal framework behind Slate’s digital retail platform, including checkout flows, configurators, and online disclosures
Advise on, and review and update, terms of use, e-signature and electronic contracting processes, and point-of-sale disclosures embedded in the digital purchase journey
Advise on legal requirements for online payment processing, e-signature validity, and recordkeeping across digital retail and finance workflows
Support testing and rollout of new or updated digital retail features, flagging legal and compliance considerations early in the product cycle
Troubleshoot legal issues arising from digital retail system changes in partnership with IT, Product, and outside vendors
Review and clear marketing, advertising, and promotional materials across digital, social, print, and dealer/partner channels for legal and regulatory compliance
Advise on FTC, state consumer protection, and advertising substantiation requirements applicable to vehicle marketing claims (range, pricing, incentives, financing offers, features)
Support influencer, sponsorship, and co-marketing arrangements with OEM and other partners
Provide fast-turn legal review that keeps pace with a marketing team that moves quickly
Advise service and customer support teams on customer complaints, escalations, and pre-litigation disputes
Support the development of service policies, warranty terms, and customer-facing communications
Partner with product defense counsel and customer support teams on escalation paths and playbooks for at-risk customer matters
Build scalable, non-lawyer-friendly guidance so frontline teams can resolve issues confidently and consistently
Advise on consumer and commercial financing programs, including retail installment contracts, leasing, and other financing structures offered to consumers and fleet customers
Support the design, documentation, and compliance review of optional products (e.g., extended service contracts, GAP, and other insurance-adjacent products) offered at point of sale
Monitor compliance with consumer finance laws (e.g., TILA/Regulation Z, state retail installment sales acts) applicable to Slate’s finance and optional-product offerings
Partner with Finance, Insurance, and third-party providers on program design and contract terms
Support dealer licensing strategy and compliance across state motor vehicle dealer laws, including franchise and direct-sales considerations
Support licensing of Slate’s financial services and insurance/optional-products offerings, including entity, agent, and producer licensing as applicable
Track state-by-state licensing requirements, applications, and renewals, partnering with Compliance and outside counsel to keep Slate’s licensing footprint current as the company expands
Build repeatable processes and trackers for licensing obligations tied to new states, products, and channels
Other duties as assigned, as Slate’s go-to-market legal needs evolve