Legal Counsel at Workstream in San Francisco, CA

Workstream is a mission-driven company building the all-in-one HR, payroll, and hiring platform for managing the hourly workforce. There are 2.7 billion hourly workers, making up 80% of the global workforce, but this market has been heavily underserved by technology and deserves better. Workstream has been purpose-built for the hourly workforce from day one so that these businesses and their employees can thrive. Our customers include leading brands from multiple sectors, including Burger King, Carl's Jr./Hardee's, IHOP, KFC, and Culvers. We are a high growth series B company and quickly expanding our product portfolio to deliver on our vision. We are backed by legendary VCs and industry experts like Founders Fund, BOND, and Coatue. Grow With US We are seeking an experienced in-house legal counsel to support Workstream's rapid growth across contracts, compliance, product counsel, governance, and employment matters. This role will handle day-to-day legal needs while partnering with external counsel on specialized matters. You'll be a trusted business partner across Sales, Product, Partnerships, Finance, and People Ops—balancing legal rigor with startup speed and business judgment. As we layer in AI/ML capabilities, you'll play a key role in ensuring compliance and managing emerging legal risks. Day in the Life Draft, review, and negotiate customer MSAs, DPAs, amendments, and vendor agreements; identify material risks and maintain contract playbooks and templates. Advise on privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA, CPRA) and ensure Privacy Policy and ToS stay current with product and regulatory changes. Partner with Product and Engineering teams to advise on legal implications of new features, AI/ML capabilities, data handling practices, and user consent requirements; provide early-stage legal guardrails for product development. Manage IP matters including trademark registrations and licensing compliance. Support Board governance including meeting materials and corporate governance policies. Review employment agreements, advise on hiring/termination/wage-and-hour compliance, and support HR on employment relations issues. Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Product, Partnerships, Finance, and People Ops to provide timely legal guidance and coordinate with external counsel on complex matters. Who You Are Licensed to practice in at least one US jurisdiction (CA bar preferred). 10+ years of legal experience, with 5-7+ years in-house at a SaaS or tech company. Expertise in commercial contract negotiation (SaaS, MSAs, DPAs, vendor agreements). Strong knowledge of privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA, CPRA) and ability to advise on privacy-by-design principles. Experience advising product and engineering teams on legal/compliance implications of product features. Familiarity with employment law, IP basics, and board governance. Excellent communication skills; ability to translate legal concepts for business and product stakeholders. Comfort with ambiguity and fast-paced environments. Proficiency with contract management tools (DocuSign, Ironclad) and document platforms. Nice to have Familiarity with AI/ML legal risks and governance. M&A or financing experience. Engagement Details 20–30 hours per week (flexible; can flex up during M&A or major deal cycles), at $150-$200 per hour in California. Reports to Head of Finance. Works alongside external counsel on specialized matters. Know More About Workstream https://www.workstream.us/blog/funding-series-b https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/26/workstreams-text-based-recruitment-tool-gets-a-48m-bet-from-bond-and-beyond/ https://techbuzz.news/buzzworthy-august-27-2021/ Additional Information Workstream provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.