Overview In this role you will be Cape's first in-house counsel, building and scaling the legal function across regulatory, government contracts, IP, and commercial matters. You will advise cross-functional teams and manage outside counsel to support rapid growth. You'll establish internal processes and compliance frameworks to navigate complex regimes relevant to a privacy-first carrier. This position offers autonomy, broad scope, and the chance to shape Cape's legal groundwork as the company scales.
Compensation / Benefits- 401(k) match
- Unlimited PTO
- 100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision premiums for you and your dependents
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
- Stipends for family-forming needs
- Gender-affirming care
Responsibilities- Own legal needs across regulatory, government and commercial contracts, employment, and IP risks.
- Primary legal contact for Engineering, Product, Business Development, and Operations.
- Establish and scale internal legal processes, templates (MSAs, NDAs), and compliance frameworks (FCC, state licensing).
- Build and manage external counsel network and direct strategy on complex matters.
- Partner with government contracts team on FARS/DFARS, teaming, and defense program compliance.
- Professionalize legal risk management by creating processes and frameworks where none exist.
- Collaborate with leadership on corporate matters, partnerships, and transactions as the business scales.
- Report to Head of Operations and help establish a scalable legal function.
Key requirements- JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
- Typically 3-8+ years of legal experience, ideally with top-tier firm training and startup experience.
- Willingness to learn new areas quickly and earn the trust of engineers, sales, and outside specialists.
- Builder mindset; comfortable owning initiatives and working without a fixed playbook.
- Ability to operate with ambiguity and collaborate across functions.
- Interest in a broad general practice with potential for GC responsibilities.
- cross-functional collaboration
- adaptability
- strategic thinking
- regulatory compliance
- government contracts (FARS/DFARS)
- IP risk management
