Senior Counsel (Fintech)

Who We Are

Leap Theory, LLC is an already profitable, fast growing, 8-year old advertising technology firm that serves as a robust resource for companies in the financial services industry. It was founded by people looking to build a better workplace. Four things drive us: ethics, continuous improvement, gratitude, and teamwork. Yes, we aim for top performance in our industry, but HOW we get there matters more. We understand your time is important. Who you spend it with is important. What you apply your talents to is important. Thanks for considering applying your time and talents to our company and learning what makes us - we believe - very different from other high performance tech companies.

About the Role

We’re hiring a high-caliber Senior Counsel to take a leading role in shaping legal strategy at a rapidly scaling fintech company. This role is ideal for someone coming from (or trained in) a top law firm or sophisticated in-house environment who wants to trade narrow specialization for ownership, impact, and proximity to the business. This is a unique seat for an attorney who wants to be close to the business. You’ll work directly with the executive team across multiple fintech verticals, building deep expertise across the full range of consumer finance and privacy regulation. In some cases, you’ll have the opportunity to weigh in on how emerging legislation develops through our industry relationships.

 

If you’re intellectually rigorous, deeply engaged in your work, and motivated by building rather than reviewing, this is an opportunity to step into a true partner role with leadership. We’re looking for someone smart, hardworking, and genuinely interested in how financial products are built, regulated, and scaled.

 

This is a full-time, in-office role based in Santa Monica, California.

 

What You’ll Do

Regulatory Leadership

• Lead legal strategy across consumer finance and fintech regulatory frameworks, including UDAAP, FCRA, Reg Z, Reg B, TCPA, CAN-SPAM, and privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA, GLBA, etc.).
• Provide clear, risk-calibrated guidance that enables product innovation.
• Anticipate regulatory trends and position the company ahead of change.
• Partner closely with Compliance on exams, audits, and risk management.

Product & Business Integration

• Embed with product, engineering, and go-to-market teams to guide product development from concept through launch.
• Serve as a key advisor to leadership on legal, regulatory, and strategic decisions.
• Balance legal risk with business velocity without defaulting to “no.”

Commercial & Transactional Oversight

• Oversee and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including strategic partnerships, vendor agreements, and data/privacy arrangements.
• Guide contract structure and risk allocation in high-impact deals.
• Support M&A, financing, and other strategic transactions.

Corporate & Structural Strategy

• Advise on corporate structure, governance, and entity management.
• Help design scalable legal and operational frameworks as the company grows.

What We’re Looking For

• JD and active California Bar membership.
• 8+ years of experience, ideally including time at a top law firm (consumer finance, fintech, or related regulatory practice strongly preferred).
• Deep familiarity with U.S. consumer financial regulations and privacy frameworks.
• Proven ability to operate independently and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong business judgment and comfort making decisions in ambiguous environments.

How You Work

• You’re intellectually sharp and naturally curious.
• You care about the substance of the work, not just process or precedent.
• You have a strong work ethic and take ownership end-to-end.
• You move fast, but think carefully.
• You give clear, actionable advice that people can actually use.
• You learn quickly and make decisions independently.

Why This Role

• Real ownership: you’ll help shape legal strategy, not just execute it.
• Direct access to leadership and meaningful influence on company direction.
• Exposure to the full lifecycle of fintech products lending, payments, fraud, and beyond.
• A chance to leave behind narrow silos and engage deeply with the business.

Compensation

• Expected Pay Range: $200,000 – $250,000 (California)
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k)
• Daily catered lunch
• Fully stocked kitchen with too many kinds of coffee and snacks

The pay range listed above represents what Leap Theory reasonably anticipates paying for this role at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary depending on factors such as experience, education, skill level, and current market conditions.