[Remote] General Counsel & Head of Legal (Blockchain, Digital Assets, Payments & Financial Infrastructure)

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Autheo is a visionary technology company building a high-performance sovereign Layer-0 Operating System and Layer-1 blockchain. They are seeking a part-time Equity Cofounder to serve as General Counsel & Head of Legal, responsible for designing legal frameworks that protect advanced technologies while ensuring compliance with financial regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of global compliance frameworks for Layer-1 blockchain operations, DePIN infrastructure, tokenomics, decentralized identity (AutheoID), payments, and digital asset custody solutions
• Advise on US and international regulations including SEC, CFTC, FinCEN (AML/KYC/OFAC), OCC, GDPR, and emerging crypto/fintech legislation
• Provide direct legal support for the OCC national trust bank charter application in close coordination with banking strategy and executive leadership
• Design licensing strategies (VASP, MSB, MTL, trust company) and proactive regulatory engagement plans across key jurisdictions
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex agreements for strategic partnerships, vendor contracts, equity/token allocations, developer ecosystem programs, custody agreements, and financial services integrations
• Establish and maintain robust corporate governance structures supporting nearly 100+ equity cofounders, potential banking subsidiary formation, and future growth
• Protect intellectual property for proprietary blockchain execution, FHE, zk-proofs, AI integration technologies, and financial infrastructure innovations
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks across product development, token launches, enterprise integrations, payments platforms, and custody operations
• Oversee dispute resolution, litigation strategy (proactive and defensive), and insurance programs
• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, product, compliance, banking strategy, and executive teams to embed 'legal-by-design' and 'compliance-by-design' principles into the core platform and financial service offerings
• Represent Autheo in regulatory forums, industry associations, policy discussions, and engagements with banking and financial regulators
• Contribute to whitepapers, publications, and thought leadership on blockchain governance, legal frameworks for digital assets and payments, and compliant DeFi models
• Mentor the team on legal best practices and foster a culture of proactive compliance excellence

Skills

• JD from a top-tier law school with active bar membership in at least one US jurisdiction (additional international qualifications or bar admissions a plus)
• 8+ years of progressive legal experience, with significant focus (4+ years) on cryptocurrency, blockchain, DeFi, Web3 technologies, and/or fintech, payments, digital assets, or financial services law
• Proven track record advising on token launches, securities law compliance (Howey test, Reg D, Reg A+, etc.), digital asset regulations, payments compliance, and/or supporting bank charter, trust company, or similar regulated financial applications
• Deep expertise in digital asset taxation, data privacy (GDPR/CCPA), payments systems, digital asset custody, AML/KYC frameworks, and IP law in emerging tech
• Prior in-house General Counsel, Head of Legal, or senior legal leadership role at a blockchain/crypto company, fintech, payments provider, or regulated financial institution (bank, trust company, or broker-dealer)
• Direct experience with DePIN, Layer-1 protocols, enterprise blockchain adoption, OCC charter applications, or federal banking regulatory processes
• Established network with regulators, policymakers, crypto/fintech legal specialists, or banking compliance experts
• Publications, speaking engagements, or thought leadership in blockchain law, fintech regulation, digital assets, or payments

Benefits

• Equity in Launch Legends and Autheo , along with token allocations in the Autheo blockchain
• Salaried compensation is expected to begin within 3 to 5 months, following our node, token sales or funding

Company Overview