Head of Legal

Firsthand has built the first AI-powered Brand Agent platform, transforming the way marketers and publishers engage consumers through their own AI agents, anywhere online.

While most AI applications in marketing and advertising focus on back-office automation, the Firsthand Brand Agent Platform™ powers front-line consumer engagement. Operating across both owned properties and paid media, Firsthand's Brand Agents make a company’s expertise accessible in real time, adapting to consumers’ interests and guiding them towards the information they need to take action. Central to the platform is Lakebed™, the company’s AI-first data and knowledge rights management system that ensures brands retain full ownership and control of their expertise.

Firsthand is led by Jon Heller, Michael Rubenstein, and Wei Wei, whose previous ventures helped build the foundations of modern digital advertising. Backed by Radical Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Aperiam Ventures, and Crossbeam Venture Partners, Firsthand is shaping the future of AI-driven consumer engagement.

Firsthand is headquartered in NYC, with team members working together in-office three days a week.

The Role
Firsthand is looking to hire a Head of Legal to build, scale, and lead the Legal function from the ground up. You will own all things legal with a particular emphasis on commercial agreements, corporate governance, compliance and building the legal frameworks for a quickly growing startup. Additionally, you’ll help shape the growth trajectory of Firsthand by assisting with vendor negotiations & vetting, privacy law considerations and corporate development.

In this position, you will play a key role in contributing to the company’s commercial and product progress. You'll design and implement processes for reviewing, negotiating, and returning contracts in collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders. You’ll have the opportunity to deploy prior industry expertise while being on the cutting edge of artificial intelligence advancements. The ideal candidate will be located in the New York metropolitan area.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and scale Firsthand’s Legal function, establishing the frameworks, tooling, and operating norms that enable rapid growth

• Structure, draft, and negotiate complex customer, vendor, and third-party agreements covering a broad range of products and services

• Partner closely with Product and Engineering to ensure new products, pricing models, integrations, and financial infrastructure are built with compliance and risk minimization in mind

• Provide risk-weighted advice to business partners that balances commercial upside against corresponding legal, financial, operational and reputational risk

• Seek to understand the context of the positions of Firsthand’s customers and the requests from internal clients, and strive to solve problems and address issues from their perspective

• Develop and scale efficient contract workflow for Firsthand, including coordination of relevant internal stakeholders and external providers

• Engage in customer-facing legal negotiations with global organizations as well as other high growth startups

• Develop and maintain templates and inventories of contracts, terms of services, notices, and confidentiality agreements for Firsthand’s products, services, and distribution channels

• As the first member of the Legal team, you'll also support processes related to privacy law, human resources, compliance and corporate transactions

Qualifications

• 8+ years of in-house experience is required, adtech, media platform or advertising experience is required

• JD from an accredited law school and admission to the bar in the relevant jurisdiction (preferably NY)

• Knowledge of key US advertising regulations, including but not limited to FTC guidelines on advertising content and methods and industry self-regulatory programs

• Ability to structure, draft and negotiate a high volume and broad range of contracts, including commercial agreements, professional services agreement, partner agreements and NDAs

• Strong “business-friendly” style that comes with an understanding that the legal team’s primary purpose is to support the growth and success of the business

• Knowledge of data privacy and experienced handling and dealing with data privacy related questions when negotiating Data Processing Agreements is preferred

• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, start-up environment with a high level of autonomy and accountability

If you are ready to embark on an exhilarating journey at the forefront of AI, seize this incredible opportunity and apply here. We eagerly anticipate hearing from you!

Note: Compensation and equity will be market-competitive for well-capitalized, early stage startups and will be discussed during the interview process.