Employment Counsel

We analyze complex and novel legal issues for Plaid to enable innovation.

We believe that the way people interact with their finances will drastically improve in the next few years. We’re dedicated to empowering this transformation by building the tools and experiences that thousands of developers use to create their own products. Plaid powers the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life. We work with thousands of companies like Venmo, SoFi, several of the Fortune 500, and many of the largest banks to make it easy for people to connect their financial accounts to the apps and services they want to use. Plaid’s network covers 12,000 financial institutions across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Founded in 2013, the company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Washington D.C., London and Amsterdam.

The Employment Counsel will join Plaid’s Enterprise Legal Services team – a group of centralized legal subject-matter experts supporting all of Plaid’s functions. We are a lean, highly collaborative team (part of Plaid’s ~28-person legal department) that includes the Employment legal team, along with other practice areas. Our mission is to craft empathetic, forward-looking solutions that empower our stakeholders and drive innovation and competitive differentiation. As the third member of the Employment Legal team, you will help round out our employment law capabilities, working alongside two experienced employment attorneys in a fast-growing fintech company of ~1000 employees worldwide. This small-team environment means you’ll have the chance to make a significant impact and even wear multiple hats, partnering cross-functionally to propel Plaid’s growth while maintaining our inclusive, compliant, and innovative culture.

We are seeking a junior to mid-level Employment Counsel (approximately 3–5 years of experience) who will serve as a trusted advisor on employment law matters in the U.S. and in support our global operations. In this role, you will provide balanced, practical advice to our People Team (HR) and business leaders on day-to-day employment issues across the entire employee lifecycle – from hiring and onboarding to performance management and terminations. You will play a key part in designing and implementing scalable policies and processes that enable Plaid to grow compliantly and efficiently. This includes developing policies, templates, and playbooks to educate and empower our teams. You will also help Plaid stay ahead of employment law changes, especially in critical jurisdictions like California and New York, translating legal developments into actionable guidance.

As a member of a small legal team, you’ll have broad exposure and the opportunity to contribute to special projects and new legal areas as needs arise. This role is ideal for an ambitious attorney who exhibits a growth mindset and eagerness to learn. We value strong communicators who can empathize with business partners, deliver solutions-oriented advice, and foster trust with colleagues at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Advise on Day-to-Day Employment Matters: Provide practical counsel to the People Team and managers on a broad spectrum of employment issues across the entire employee lifecycle.
• Policy Development and Scaling: Design and implement scalable employment policies, programs, resources, and processes to support Plaid’s growth and evolving legal requirements.
• Document Drafting and Management: Draft, review, and maintain global employment documents and templates – for example, offer letters and employment agreements, employee handbooks, codes of conduct, and separation agreements.
• Compliance and Risk Mitigation: Monitor developments in employment laws and regulations (federal, state, and local) and translate those legal changes into clear guidance and action plans for the company. Proactively identify areas of risk in employment practices and propose creative, preventative solutions.
• Employee Relations & Dispute Resolution: Collaborate with the People Team to handle sensitive employee relations issues and internal investigations with empathy and sound judgment.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the subject matter expert on employment law in cross-team projects (e.g. new office openings, policy rollouts, or organizational changes), providing clarity on legal requirements and practical implementation.
• Team Collaboration & Flexibility: Contribute as a team player in a lean legal team, willing to jump in on new legal issues or support colleagues in other legal domains as needed. This flexibility and eagerness to learn are key, as we value a growth mindset and collaborative spirit.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience practicing employment law (labor & employment) in a reputable law firm, government agency, or in-house legal department. A background that includes employment counseling (advising on HR/employment matters) is preferred.
• JD degree required.
• US Bar admission in at least one state.
• Ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, succinct, and pragmatic advice for HR and business stakeholders. You should be adept at counseling non-lawyers on sensitive issues, demonstrating both sound judgment and empathy for the business context.
• High ethical standards and sound judgment. Able to handle confidential employee matters with discretion and integrity. You exercise good judgment in ambiguous situations and know when to escalate issues or seek outside expert help.

The target base salary for this position ranges from $135,888/year to $226,800/year encompassing all zones. The target base salary will vary based on the job's location.

Our geographic zones are as follows:

Zone 1 - New York City and San Francisco Bay Area

Zone 2 - Los Angeles, Seattle, Washington D.C.

Zone 3 - Austin, Boston, Denver, Houston, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego

Zone 4 - Raleigh-Durham and all other US cities

Additional compensation in the form(s) of equity and/or commission are dependent on the position offered. Plaid provides a comprehensive benefit plan, including medical, dental, vision, and 401(k). Pay is based on factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience and skillset, and location. Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation or benefit plans.

Our mission at Plaid is to unlock financial freedom for everyone. To support that mission, we seek to build a diverse team of driven individuals who care deeply about making the financial ecosystem more equitable. We recognize that strong qualifications can come from both prior work experiences and lived experiences. We encourage you to apply to a role even if your experience doesn't fully match the job description. We are always looking for team members that will bring something unique to Plaid!

Plaid is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion or religious belief, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, military or veteran status, disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Plaid is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance with your application or interviews due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations@plaid.com.

Please review our Candidate Privacy Notice here.