Head of Legal

The Head of Legal will own all legal strategy, risk management, and corporate governance for Shinkei Systems and its affiliated entities. This role is focused on protecting the business while enabling rapid execution across robotics, seafood operations, and CPG commercialization.

The Head of Legal will act as both a strategic advisor and hands-on operator designing scalable legal systems, reducing outside counsel dependency, and ensuring compliant, efficient growth across complex operational and commercial activities. You will be a close strategic partner to the business – driving decisions in supply chain, product, and commercial strategy.

• Act as a true legal generalist – identify, triage, and correct risks to the business

• Serve as an embedded legal partner to every vertical within the company, primarily Finance, Sales, Operations, Marine Resources, Quality Assurance, Government Affairs, and People

• Manage commercial agreements and financing documentation – draft, negotiate, and close financing transactions and service and commercial agreements at all stages

• Maintain legal backbone of the business – build and maintain basic legal templates and playbooks - non-disclosure agreements, leases, vendor / partnership contracts, etc.

• Act as the point guard for specialized outside counsel – translating legalese into plain language and business opportunities into execution

• Implement regulatory and compliance best practices, particularly in food safety and intellectual property regulations

• Own corporate governance, entity management, investor rights, and board-related matters

What You Will Need:

• 8+ years of experience in corporate law, commercial contracts, and operational legal environments

• JD from an accredited law school and an active California state bar membership in good standing (Washington and Alaska are a bonus)

• Experience in food & beverage, manufacturing, seafood, maritime, or other regulated supply chains strongly preferred

• Experience with equity and venture financing or M&A transactions and cross-border agreements

• Preferred: In-house experience at a high-growth technology or consumer goods startup

• Comfort operating without a large legal team and willingness to straddle both strategic advisory and day-to-day execution

Core Responsibility Areas

• Corporate governance structure across multiple entities (operating companies, shell entities, subsidiaries)

• Board governance support, resolutions, approvals, and corporate recordkeeping

• Management of corporate structure as company scales (including potential new entities)

• Oversight of equity governance processes (working with Finance / People / Carta or equivalent systems)

2. Financing, Equity & Board Matters

• Support financing activities (equity and debt)

• Board approvals and investor-related legal coordination

• Equity plan administration (option plans, grants, compliance)

• Loan agreements and structured financing arrangements

• Coordination with external counsel on financing rounds and investor documentation

3. Commercial Contracts & Strategic Agreements

• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements across:

  • Supply chain and dock agreements

  • Vessel / fishing operations agreements (including IFQ-related structures)

  • Manufacturing and processing contracts

  • Customer and distribution agreements (CPG / seafood sales)

• Building scalable contract frameworks and templates

• Structuring “protective provisions” in strategic partnerships (risk allocation, liability, exclusivity, termination)

4. Regulatory, Food Safety & Compliance

• FDA compliance, food safety, labeling, and regulatory oversight (seafood/CPG)

• Compliance strategy for food production, processing, and distribution operations

• Support for inspection readiness and regulatory engagement

• Cross-functional partnership with Operations and QA teams

5. IP, Technology & Data Protection

• Intellectual property strategy and protection (hardware, robotics, software systems)

• IP assignment agreements and contractor protections

• Data protection and security considerations (as applicable to systems and partners)

6. Outside Counsel & Legal Cost Optimization

• Select, manage, and coordinate outside counsel relationships

• Route legal work efficiently to minimize external legal spend

• Build internal triage system for legal requests (what is handled in-house vs. outsourced)

• Negotiate legal fees and engagement structures with firms

• Manage engagement letters and consultant legal arrangements

7. Contracting Systems & Operational Legal Infrastructure

• Build scalable contracting workflows and systems

• Standardize engagement letters for consultants, contractors, and vendors

• Create internal legal playbooks and templates

• Support procurement and vendor contracting processes

8. Risk Management & Value Protection

• Identify and mitigate legal and operational risk across business units

• Ensure legal structures support “value protection vs. value creation” balance

• Advise leadership on risk exposure in operational expansion (boats, processing, distribution, robotics deployments)

9. Cross-Border / Complex Operational Structures (if applicable)

• Support structuring for vessels, fishing operations, and IFQ-related arrangements

• Coordination of legal frameworks across jurisdictions and operational contexts

Success Profile

• Builds legal systems that scale with fast operational growth

• Reduces reliance on expensive outside counsel while improving speed

• Enables commercial velocity while protecting downside risk

• Creates clarity across contracts, governance, and entity structure

• Strong partner to Finance, Operations, and Executive leadership

• Comfortable operating as both:

  • Builder of systems

  • Hands-on deal lawyer