Corporate Counsel Lead

About the Role

We are seeking a Corporate Counsel Lead to build and lead DeployCo’s legal function from inception through scale. This leader will establish the legal infrastructure required to operate a global services organization closely aligned with OpenAI, while staying close enough to the work to unblock commercial execution in real time.

Initially, this role will operate as a player-coach, partnering with OpenAI Legal to support commercial contracting, corporate governance, and regulatory frameworks. Over time, you will build an independent legal organization capable of supporting global operations, M&A, and investor requirements without becoming a bottleneck.

You will serve as a strategic advisor to DeployCo’s executive team, ensuring legal risk is managed while enabling rapid commercial execution and growth.

Your day-to-day will include negotiating customer agreements, drafting practical policies, managing outside counsel, cleaning up contracting processes, advising executives, and doing the detailed legal work required to keep a new company moving.

Success in this role will look like a legal function that protects DeployCo, earns trust with OpenAI and investors, and helps teams move faster because the rules are clear and usable.

In this role, you will

• Build and lead DeployCo’s legal function across commercial, corporate, employment, and regulatory matters.
• Draft and negotiate complex enterprise customer and partner agreements.
• Establish governance structures, policies, and compliance frameworks that are rigorous, usable, and built for speed.
• Support corporate structuring, financing, and investor-related matters.
• Lead legal diligence and integration efforts for M&A transactions.
• Manage intercompany agreements and shared services with OpenAI.
• Develop scalable contracting processes and risk management frameworks.
• Manage outside counsel relationships globally.
• Advise executives on legal risk and strategic decision-making.

You may thrive in this role if you

• Have 12-15+ years of legal experience in technology, professional services, or corporate environments.
• Bring strong experience in commercial contracting and corporate governance.
• Have experience supporting high-growth or PE-backed companies.
• Are comfortable operating as the first legal leader in a new organization.
• Thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
• Balance pragmatic risk management with business enablement, and are willing to draft, negotiate, document, and chase details yourself.