M0 -- Senior Counsel

Our Legal team manages the legal affairs of certain actors in the M0 ecosystem. These include the M0 Foundation in Switzerland, the M0 labs located in the Cayman Islands and Germany, and other entities. We collaborate across M0 to accelerate the business, shape technical development, advance corporate and protocol governance, and ensure regulatory compliance in areas such as securities, AML/CFT, sanctions, consumer protection, and intellectual property.

Our team holds itself to a standard of uncompromising service delivery, emphasizing modern tech-enabled practice. This commitment is expressed in our shared values:

• Autonomy. We are each builders, responsible for the processes that will keep our respective functional areas running efficiently—especially by aggressively incorporating the latest technology.

• Composure. People rely on us. We work hard to deserve their trust by always being prepared and being the cool heads that help navigate challenging situations.

• Connectedness. We seek opportunities to build genuine relationships across M0 and the industry, so that we can be responsive and resilient as circumstances evolve.

• Foresight. We have a knack for keeping our heads up to see what’s on the horizon, so that we have time to develop carefully considered strategies and plans.

• Integrity. We are stewards of M0’s mission, expected to act with unwavering integrity and to cultivate that culture across the broader organization.

About the Role

Reporting to the General Counsel, you will architect an optimal global organizational structure, lead strategic transactions, manage our commercial contracting processes, and ensure the quality of our corporate governance practices. This role requires a leader who can operate at every altitude—providing strategic counsel to the executive team in the morning, and diving deep into the details of a critical transaction or process improvement that same afternoon.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Strategic Transactions: Serve as the Legal lead on M&A, investments, joint ventures, and other strategic corporate initiatives, structuring and executing these complex deals from diligence to closing.

• Own High-Stakes Commercial Agreements: Draft and negotiate highly-tailored agreements with strategic partners and sophisticated counterparties in the institutional finance, digital assets, and technology sectors. Provide practical advice on related issues such as IP, data protection, and regulatory matters as they are implicated in such agreements.

• Drive Corporate Governance: Oversee corporate structuring and ongoing legal functions, including managing our corporate records, governance materials, and filings for our entities around the globe.

• Build Scalable Legal Infrastructure: Work closely with our corporate and legal operations paralegal in the creation of a robust contract management process, including the development of playbooks and standard templates (NDAs, MSAs, etc.).

• Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Act as an outstanding collaborator with colleagues in finance, operations, and corporate development to solve problems and drive alignment on our most critical transactional efforts as well as on equity and token administration matters.

Who You Are

• A World-Class Corporate Attorney: You have significant experience as a Corporate, M&A, or Emerging Companies attorney, with a deep understanding of corporate and securities law. You demonstrate excellent judgment, analytical rigor, and business pragmatism in your advice.

• A Proactive Builder: You are a self-starter with a "no job too big, no job too small" mentality. You look around corners to creatively solve problems and have a proven ability to own projects from concept to finish.

• An Excellent Communicator & Partner: You can present complex legal issues clearly and concisely. You know how to build high-trust relationships and act as a true business partner, not just a lawyer.

• Adaptable and Intellectually Curious: You have a positive attitude, comfort with ambiguity, and a relentless curiosity about new technologies. You have a passion for or a strong interest in crypto, blockchain technologies, and DeFi.

• Detail-Oriented and Process-Driven: You have exceptional attention to detail and a track record of improving legal processes and workflows.

• J.D. from an accredited, top-tier law school.

• Member in good standing of a U.S. state bar (preferably NY).

• 7+ years of relevant legal experience, including foundational training at a top-tier law firm in a corporate or transactional practice.

• In-house experience at a high-growth technology company, preferably in fintech or Web3, is strongly preferred.

• A strong track record of independently leading complex commercial and corporate transactions, especially in tech, payments and finance.

Nice to Haves

• EC/VC Experience: Experience interacting with investors and their legal teams, and advising in relation to relevant investment documents (e.g., SAFEs, token warrants).

• Crypto-Native Familiarity: Deep familiarity with legal issues specific to the crypto/DeFi ecosystem, particularly around organizational structures for decentralized protocols.

• Financial Services Background: Prior experience with regulated financial services firms and conversance with financial regulation applicable to digital assets.

• Exposure to Stablecoin-Relevant Legal Instruments: Comfort with registering and perfecting collateral agreements, as well as with bankruptcy rules.

• Location: Ability to work multiple days a week in our main hub office in NYC.