Sr. Associate Counsel

Visa•Foster City, CA

6d•$180,600 - $289,300•Hybrid

About The Position

Visa is seeking a proactive, product-focused lawyer to support its Global Product, IP and Services organizations. The Senior Associate Counsel will serve as the main legal partner to product teams for Visa Acceptance Solutions products and services, including Visa Acceptance Platform, Cybersource, Authorize.Net and other value-added services. The role covers the complete product lifecycle, from ideation and design through launch, ongoing operation, enhancement and retirement, and reports to a Senior Managing Counsel, Visa Legal – Global Product, IP and Services. The position works closely with product counsel, other Visa lawyers, compliance professionals and business clients. The successful candidate will advise product, engineering, design and go-to-market teams; identify legal, regulatory, privacy and intellectual property issues early; support product launches and documentation; and help translate regulatory requirements into practical product requirements and controls. The role also supports global product rollouts and localization, advises on transactional legal matters and corporate projects related to the product portfolio, and coordinates outside counsel when needed. The role requires at least three days in the office, with the specific days confirmed by the Hiring Manager. Work hours vary based on department needs, and the position requires travel 5–10% of the time. Work is performed in an office setting and involves sitting and standing at a desk, communicating in person and by telephone, and frequently using standard office equipment such as telephones and computers.

Requirements

At least 5 years of relevant work experience with a Bachelor's Degree, or at least 2 years of work experience with an Advanced Degree, or 0 years of work experience with a PhD.
A valid license to practice in the state where the job is located, or the ability to become state-registered in-house counsel in good standing.
Strong judgment and analytical, organizational, client-counseling and negotiation skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and a significant workload in a fast-paced environment, with minimal supervision.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively and engage directly with business clients at all levels.
Ability to drive the legal and regulatory aspects of complex global product initiatives.
Demonstrated ability to execute in a team setting, combine legal advice with business knowledge, and provide balanced advice on risks and benefits.
Business acumen to understand company interests and anticipate the nature and scale of potential issues.
Practical, creative problem-solving skills, self-motivation and a strong work ethic.

Nice To Haves

At least 6 years of work experience with a Bachelor's Degree, or at least 4 years of relevant experience with an Advanced Degree, or up to 3 years of relevant experience with a PhD.
A combination of in-house and law firm experience.
Strong academic credentials, including a J.D. degree or international equivalent.
Experience as product counsel advising product and engineering teams on technology, software-as-a-service, API-based or platform products.
Experience in payments, including credit and debit processing, financial services, technology or fintech.
Financial regulatory experience.
Knowledge of privacy and competition laws.
Transactional background in corporate and commercial arrangements, including drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements.

Responsibilities

Advise product management, engineering, design and go-to-market teams on business objectives and the development of product and service offerings.
Counsel teams on product development, deployment, and related commercial and contracting considerations.
Participate early in product planning to identify legal, regulatory, privacy and intellectual property issues and help shape compliant, commercially viable product features, flows and controls.
Conduct legal reviews and risk assessments of new products, features and enhancements before launch, including launch approvals.
Maintain product terms, service descriptions, client-facing terms of use, developer and API terms, implementation guides and other product documentation.
Review external product documentation for securities-law, disclosure-policy, data-use, competition-law and similar compliance requirements.
Lead legal review of product-related marketing materials, public relations and corporate communications.
Manage regulatory support and assess how regulatory changes may affect Visa, its products and its partners.
Partner with compliance, privacy, risk and security teams to translate regulatory requirements into practical product requirements and controls.
Work with regional legal and business teams worldwide on global product rollouts and localization, resolve local issues and promote consistent approaches.
Advise business line leaders and management on transactional legal matters and proposed corporate actions and projects related to the product portfolio.
Coordinate and supervise outside counsel as needed to support timely, cost-effective and high-quality service and work product.