In-house Counsel

Job Description

Role: In-house Counsel

Location: Home-based

Salary: £50-70k pa, plus equity, depending on experience

About us

Vestd is the UK’s original share scheme platform for startups, scaleups and SMEs. Our mission is to encourage founders to use equity as a lever for business growth.

We are an innovative, fast growing fintech startup with big ambitions, and our team is on a mission to increase equity inclusion.

Requirements

The role

As our In-house Counsel, you will be a key member of the team with a remit to shape and develop this area of the business. You’ll join a team that is still below 100 people that passionately believes in the power of sharing ownership. This is a fantastic opportunity to really make your mark as we continue to scale up.

As a legal tech business we support our clients in a number of different areas – not just share schemes, but also helping them through the implications of Shareholder Agreements, Articles of Associations, Investment Agreements, and company equity structures. Critically we are helping them with how all these elements interplay with the platform as they develop and grow.

You will be interacting with customers as they work out how best to combine their current legal arrangements and corporate governance rules with our digital solutions. You will be helping us develop and map out the various digital support we can give to our customers (in respect of the various legal agreements). You will interface with our external counsel (alongside Vestd’s Directors).

You will be a qualified lawyer (whether private practice or in house) who has had at least 3 years corporate experience dealing with SME’s in the UK. You will be very familiar with how early stage and scale up companies grow and evolve – whether through investment rounds or organically. You will be fascinated by these corporate journeys and get a real kick out of helping them on the way. Having had some exposure to share schemes is important, but is not a deal breaker.

If you are still in a law firm, you will be frustrated by the pace of change and slow adoption of technology. You will be really keen to apply your knowledge and experience in a rapidly changing digital environment, that is on the cutting edge of what is possible.

You will be inspired by the thought of helping to build a business that can really make a difference. You will thrive in ambiguity and relish new challenges.

It is likely that job content and doing something worthwhile is more important to you than just maximising your salary at all costs.

If you’re a flexible, commercial, digitally oriented corporate lawyer looking to do something a bit different, then this role could be a great fit.

Responsibilities

• Lead on all legal issues that the company faces
• Support the development of company strategy from a legal perspective
• Oversee development of the various agreements and contracts that the platform utilises
• Lead the training of the team as appropriate on our legal agreements and contracts
• Be the point of escalation for all customer queries on legal issues
• Maintain an oversight of the various regulatory and corporate regimes within which we operate

The core skills we are looking for are as follows, with bonus points on offer to help you really stand out from the pack:

Essential

• Minimum of three years qualified experience in corporate law, focussing on SME’s.
• Ability to understand and empathise with customers and prospects.
• Experience of developing relationships with C-level business leaders.
• First rate communication skills (written, verbal and presentation).
• A great problem solver that loves to help other people.
• Enjoy working remotely and being part of a remote team.
• Brilliant at prioritisation.
• Must thrive on continuous learning.

Bonus points

• Understanding shares and equity, how UK limited companies are generally structured and the types of share schemes SMEs typically use
• Experience drafting and/or advising on option agreements
• B2B SaaS experience
• Experience of working in a remote team
• A passion for startup life
• Entrepreneurial experience

Benefits

What you can expect

Vestd is a fast-growing, ambitious and progressive startup. We are a diverse team with a strong work ethic and plenty of hunger to win.

Customers love our innovative product and the support that they receive, which makes working here very rewarding.

You’ll learn a huge amount from people who have decades of combined experience building successful businesses.

Our team works remotely, so you will have a lot of flexibility in terms of where, when and how you work. What matters most is your contribution. We will give you as much support as you need along the way, though you should have a strong desire for autonomy, which is one of our company values.

Why work for Vestd?

Your work will make a huge impact and your voice will be heard. Here are the award-winning benefits you can look forward to as one of our folk:

• 100% remote, no commuting!
• A flexible working environment to help you achieve the best work/life balance.
• Equity, of course!
• Team retreats twice a year (subject to COVID restrictions), which includes an overnight stay and a big focus on fun and team cohesion.
• A personal training and personal development budget to keep your career and professional growth on track.
• Great team ethos, connect through regular team and company socials.
• Budget to get set up with home working equipment
• Monthly recognition scheme, where we celebrate our folk.

We’re looking for somebody with initiative who can see both the business and their own growth path. It is a great time to join our team and this is a superb role for the right person.

If all that sounds like a good fit then we can’t wait to hear from you. Please email your CV with a covering note to jobs@vestd.com, outlining why you are a perfect fit for this role.

We’re striving to build a diverse team and welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply. We believe that unique differences are what makes a strong team and are actively committed to building an inclusive work environment.

You will need to be primarily UK based and eligible to work in the country.