Head of Legal

Overview

As Head of Legal in London, you will own the legal, regulatory and compliance function for an AI‑driven SaaS business. You’ll lead negotiations on high‑stakes commercial agreements and create playbooks to speed deals while managing risk. You’ll shape AI governance, data privacy programs, and security‑related commitments, partnering with Product, Engineering and Security. You report to the CEO and serve as the business‑facing legal adviser across commercial, product, and corporate matters. This is a sole in‑house role at scale, with broad impact.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiations on major enterprise MSAs, data‑processing and data‑licensing terms with global clients and providers
• Develop AI governance and compliance framework, including cross‑jurisdiction consent structures and model‑training/data‑use policies
• Own UK/US data privacy programs (GDPR, UK GDPR, US equivalents), DPAs, records of processing, sub‑processor management
• Collaborate with Security on SOC 2, security questionnaires, DPIAs and related contractual commitments
• Support corporate activities including governance, board matters, financing rounds and vendor contracting
• Advise on people‑related legal issues including employment matters and immigration/visa support
• Act as a business‑facing advisor to founders, procurement teams and clients’ GC/CISOs
• Determine when to handle matters in‑house vs. with outside counsel
• Translate legal findings into practical recommendations for non‑legal audiences
• Maintain familiarity with AI tools and data/expert-network arrangements
• Navigate data processor roles while advising on commercial SaaS dynamics

Key requirements

• Admitted to a US bar
• Minimum eight years’ experience in private practice and in‑house
• In‑house SaaS or data‑intensive tech experience at scale‑up
• Deep data privacy expertise (GDPR, UK GDPR, US equivalents, DPA negotiation)
• Proven track record negotiating complex B2B agreements with large institutional buyers
• Experience as sole legal function or with limited external counsel
• Strong business acumen and ability to communicate with non‑legal stakeholders
• Familiarity with AI tools and data/expert‑network arrangements
• PE/M&A experience is advantageous

• strong business acumen
• ability to translate complex legal concepts for non‑legal audiences
• credible with founders, clients’ GCs, CISOs and procurement
• GDPR and UK GDPR compliance
• DPA negotiation and sub‑processor management
• data privacy by design

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