General Counsel

Permanent employee, Full-time · London

Your mission

We are looking for a commercially astute General Counsel to lead and develop the legal function of our rapidly scaling AI business. This is a senior leadership role, covering UK legal matters with oversight across major international jurisdictions, supporting the growth of a global customer base across sectors such as media and entertainment, retail, healthcare and the public sector.

You will be a trusted member of the executive leadership team, balancing legal risk management with pragmatic, business-focused advice.

You will develop the legal function already in place, with the remit to build and lead a high performing in-house legal team as the business continues to grow in a rapidly changing, fluid market. You will oversee external counsel relationships, and take ownership of all legal, compliance, governance, and regulatory frameworks as Stelia expands globally.

Your role

Key Responsibilities
1. Corporate & Governance

Advise the Board and CEO on corporate structure, governance and shareholder matters.
Manage and respond to legal due diligence in upcoming funding rounds.
Oversee company secretarial duties, board meetings and statutory filings (UK and internationally).
Draft, review, and negotiate shareholder agreements and investment documentation. Work with the CFO to assess the risk suitability of financing arrangements.

2. Commercial Contracts

Introduce tools and processes to streamline contracting, balancing efficiency with Stelia’s risk appetite and growth trajectory. Establish playbooks and processes for scalable contract management across a global client base.
Lead negotiation and drafting of complex technology, SaaS, licensing, distribution, and strategic partnership agreements.
Advise on client and vendor disputes, settlement negotiations, and contract enforcement.

3. Data Protection, AI Regulation & Compliance

Act as the company’s lead on data privacy, overseeing expertise on the UK GDPR, EU GDPR, CCPA and other international frameworks.
Anticipate and advise on emerging AI-specific legislation, ethical frameworks and compliance requirements globally. Establish awareness within Stelia of the developing regulatory oversight globally of the AI sector, and lead on the strategy to manage conflicting requirements between jurisdictions.
Partner with product and engineering teams to ensure legal and regulatory compliance is embedded in product development.
Develop internal compliance policies and training programmes.

4. Employment & People Matters

Ultimate management responsibilities for Stelia’s VP of People (or equivalent).
Oversee employment law compliance in the UK and coordinate with international counsel/EORs for global hiring.
Ensure employment contracts remain compliant, and update and maintain consultancy agreements.
Manage the administration of Stelia’s employee (and advisor) incentive schemes, including liaising with accountants on valuation assessments.
Advise on employee disputes, restructurings, and cross-border HR matters.

5. Intellectual Property & Technology

Lead IP strategy to protect proprietary AI models, code, datasets and related technology.
Manage the maintenance of Stelia’s trademark and patent portfolios. Work with the COO to identify new registration requirements through the product development lifecycle.
Lead on copyright, trademark and patent disputes globally.
Advise on open-source software use and licensing risks.

6. Disputes & Risk Management

Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks.
Manage litigation and arbitration proceedings globally, working with external counsel where necessary.
Establish policies for crisis management, disaster recovery and incident response.

7. Leadership & Strategy

Build and manage a high-performing in-house legal team as we scale.
Act as a key strategic advisor to the CEO and executive team on growth (including customer sector considerations and utilising commercial awareness) and international expansion.
Build strong relationships with regulators, industry bodies, and external stakeholders.
Represent Stelia publicly on the regulatory pressures facing the AI industry.

Your First 12 Months

Further build out the company’s global legal framework, policies, and compliance programme.
Implement scalable processes for contract negotiation and management, to include the utilisation of legal tech and/or working with Stelia’s development team on in-house models and software for use within the legal function.
Provide executive-level legal input on fundraising, partnerships and international expansion.
Oversee international subsidiary incorporation as customer and/or employee growth requires.
Position Stelia as a leader in ethical and legally compliant AI deployment.

Your profile

Experience & Qualifications

Qualified solicitor in England & Wales with at least 7 years PQE.
Experience in a high-growth technology company (AI, SaaS or deep tech preferred).
Strong background in commercial contracts, corporate law, IP and data protection.
Workable strategies for prioritising business growth-enabling work within the legal function.
Familiarity with international regulatory frameworks governing technology, data and AI. Insight into the ethical considerations surrounding the use and development of AI.
Experience managing legal issues across multiple jurisdictions (preferred).
Previous exposure to fundraising and M&A (preferred).

Skills & Competencies

Ability to balance risk with business objectives.
Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
Strong leadership, with experience building and managing legal teams.
Ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable advice for non-lawyers.
High ethical standards, with a proactive approach to governance and compliance.

Personal Attributes

Strategic thinker with a growth mindset.
Collaborative, resilient and adaptable to change. You understand the requirements to pivot strategy quickly for the sake of business survival.
Comfortable creating structure where it does not yet exist.
Willing and enthusiastic to provide industry commentary (with a legal slant) as part of Stelia’s leadership team.
Global outlook, with cultural awareness and sensitivity to diverse jurisdictions.
Passion for AI and emerging technologies, with curiosity about their legal and ethical implications. An interest in legal technology and its potential to enable compliance and good company management.
Understanding of the importance of strategic partnerships within the tech ecosystem, and a willingness to build and support relationships outside of the legal sector.

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About us

Stelia is building a global distributed intelligence platform empowering enterprises to integrate and scale AI’s limitless potential. By optimising data mobility and connecting diverse AI resources, Stelia simplifies distributed AI operations, making them accessible anywhere. Committed to innovation, collaboration, and simplicity, we enable enterprises to lead the AI revolution and drive transformative change across all sectors.