Legal Counsel
Workstream is seeking an experienced in-house Legal Counsel to support its rapid growth across contracts, compliance, product counsel, governance, and employment matters. This role involves handling day-to-day legal needs while partnering with external counsel on specialized matters. The Legal Counsel will serve as a trusted business partner across Sales, Product, Partnerships, Finance, and People Operations, balancing legal rigor with startup speed and business judgment. As Workstream integrates AI/ML capabilities, the Legal Counsel will play a key role in ensuring compliance and managing emerging legal risks.
Key responsibilities include drafting, reviewing, and negotiating customer Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Data Processing Agreements (DPAs), amendments, and vendor agreements, while identifying material risks and maintaining contract playbooks and templates. The role also involves advising on privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA, CPRA) and ensuring that the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service stay current with product and regulatory changes. Additionally, the Legal Counsel will partner with Product and Engineering teams to advise on legal implications of new features, AI/ML capabilities, data handling practices, and user consent requirements, providing early-stage legal guardrails for product development. Managing intellectual property matters, supporting Board governance, and advising on employment agreements and compliance are also part of the role.
The ideal candidate is licensed to practice in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (California bar preferred) and has over 10 years of legal experience, including 5-7 years in-house at a SaaS or tech company. Expertise in commercial contract negotiation, strong knowledge of privacy compliance, and experience advising product and engineering teams on legal and compliance implications of product features are essential. Familiarity with employment law, intellectual property basics, and board governance is also required. Excellent communication skills, comfort with ambiguity, and proficiency with contract management tools are important for success in this role.
Compensation for this role is $150-$200 per hour in California, with an expected commitment of 20–30 hours per week, which can flex up during M&A or major deal cycles. The position reports to the Head of Finance and works alongside external counsel on specialized matters.
Workstream is a mission-driven company building an all-in-one HR, payroll, and hiring platform for managing the hourly workforce. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Workstream serves over 30,000 locations and more than 4,900 customers across various industries, including leading brands like Burger King, Carl's Jr./Hardee's, IHOP, KFC, and Culver's. The company is backed by notable investors such as Founders Fund, BOND, and Coatue. Workstream values a diverse team and is committed to providing an environment where diversity and inclusion are embraced, and all team members are treated with dignity and respect.