Head of Legal

The role

The Head of Legal will build and lead the legal function through the next stage of growth. You will partner with executives to manage risk and build capabilities for a globally distributed technology company.

What you will do

• Build and evolve the strategy, priorities, operating model, and team for the legal function.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executives and cross-functional leaders.
• Help leaders identify material risks and evaluate tradeoffs.
• Partner with Product, Engineering, Security, Sales, Finance, People, Operations, and Marketing teams.
• Advise on corporate governance, product development, IP, privacy, and international operations.
• Build scalable legal processes, policies, systems, and decision-making frameworks.
• Determine which legal capabilities should be developed internally or supported by outside counsel.
• Hire and empower legal team members.
• Select and manage outside counsel across operating countries.
• Coordinate guidance across jurisdictions and translate local requirements into company practices.

Required qualifications

• Significant legal experience, including meaningful in-house experience within a technology company.
• Track record of helping legal functions scale in startup or high-growth environments.
• A law degree.
• Active membership in at least one applicable bar or equivalent authorization to practice law.
• Progressive growth in the scope, complexity, ownership, and influence of work.
• Broad business judgment.
• Experience advising executives and senior leaders on complex or consequential decisions.
• Ability to understand business goals and recommend practical paths forward.
• Experience partnering effectively with technical, operational, and commercial teams.
• Familiarity with the legal considerations facing a growing software or technology company.
• Experience working with outside counsel.
• Track record of building or improving legal capabilities, teams, programs, or processes.

Nice to have

• Experience in developer tools, infrastructure, cloud, networking, cybersecurity, data, or technically complex software.
• Experience with open-source software, licensing, developer ecosystems, APIs, integrations, marketplaces, or technology partnerships.
• Product counseling, privacy, data governance, cybersecurity, intellectual property, or emerging technology.
• AI-enabled products or the use of AI within company operations.
• Cloud, on-premises, self-hosted, or hybrid software offerings.
• Data residency, sovereignty, localization, or cross-border data considerations.
• Supporting employees or business operations across multiple countries.
• Corporate governance, financing, strategic transactions, or board-related matters.
• Building or scaling a legal function within a growth-stage company.
• Hiring, developing, or leading in-house legal professionals.

Benefits

• Base salary and equity incentive plan.
• Comprehensive group benefits with no waiting period.
• Remote first environment with corporate co-working program.
• Employer-funded retirement contributions (up to 0.75% of eligible compensation).
• Annual company retreat and team off-sites.
• $1500 USD annually for professional development.
• Flexible, paid time off program.
• Company-owned laptop (Mac or PC).
• Monthly home internet reimbursement.
• $500 USD to customize workstation.
• Paid parental leave (20 weeks for birthing parents, 16 weeks for non-birthing parents).

Before you apply

• Hiring process uses AI-assisted tools to help screen and assess candidates.

About the company

Tailscale is a fully distributed company founded in 2019 that delivers software to securely interconnect people and their devices. They are backed by Accel, CRV, Insight, Heavybit, and Uncork Capital.