The Corporate Counsel will draft and negotiate agreements, support international expansion and governance, manage legal risks, and improve legal operations.
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,X, YouTubeand Instagram.
We are seeking a highly motivated and adaptable Corporate Counsel to join our in-house legal team. This position is ideal for a capable generalist who thrives in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment. As part of a small, agile legal department, you will support a wide range of legal functions critical to the company’s U.S. and international operations. This role involves hands-on responsibility for transactional, corporate, and operational legal matters across the enterprise, with direct exposure to cross-functional teams and executive leadership. The ideal candidate will be business-minded, execution-oriented, and comfortable managing diverse legal issues with sound judgment and minimal oversight.
What you'll do:
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements.
- Support international expansion initiatives, including entity formation and compliance in foreign jurisdictions.
- Assist with corporate governance matters, including board consents, internal policies, and legal entity management.
- Collaborate with finance, HR, operations, and business development teams to provide legal guidance on day-to-day matters.
- Help manage equity and incentive compensation programs.
- Identify and mitigate legal risks across the business, escalating issues appropriately to Associate General Counsel or General Counsel.
- Contribute to legal operations process improvements, legal knowledge management, and cross-departmental training.
Required qualifications:
- J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
- 2–5 years of relevant legal experience at a reputable law firm or in-house legal department.
- Demonstrated experience with commercial contracts, corporate governance, and cross-functional legal support.
- Strong legal judgment, excellent communication skills, and a business-oriented approach to problem-solving.
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams in a high-growth, regulated, and time-sensitive environment.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience advising defense, aerospace, or high-growth technology companies.
- Familiarity with international corporate structuring, export controls, or government contracting frameworks (e.g., ITAR, DFARS, FAR).
- Experience with equity compensation plans, capitalization table management, or venture financing.
- Prior in-house experience, especially in a lean legal team environment.
- Comfort working autonomously and proactively.
Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
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