General Counsel

GENERAL COUNSEL @ Side

Location: London, United Kingdom

Department: Side Corporate

Reports to: Chief Corporate Development Officer

Job Type: Full-Time

Side is incredibly excited to create a new senior-level role based in London at our global headquarters – General Counsel. Historically speaking, Side’s legal team has been predominantly US-based, so this new hire marks a significant change for the company in both structure and strategy.

The General Counsel will be a key member of the Global Leadership Team, responsible for overseeing all legal and most compliance matters across the business. The right candidate will initially act as a senior independent contributor, providing strategic input and guidance on contracts, IP issues, data protection, employment, risk management, and corporate governance. Side expects the role holder to be comfortable taking a hands-on approach, not simply outsourcing issues to our country-specific external counsels. The business needs someone with a proactive attitude, who is willing to roll up their sleeves and get the job done.

This is a highly visible and impactful role at a pivotal stage of the company’s growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the principal legal advisor to the CEO, C-Suite, and senior operational leaders across the business.
• Draft, negotiate, and review complex client, vendor, and licensing agreements.
• Ensure risk-balanced contracting across all business units and territories.
• Oversee intellectual property strategy, protection, and licensing.
• Manage legal risk related to content ownership, co-development, and client IP.
• Ensure global compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
• Oversee ethics, whistleblowing, anti-bribery, and, with the CFO, corporate governance policies.
• With the CFO consider appropriate developments in the group corporate structure and legal compliance.
• Support Regional Vice Presidents and Regional HR Directors on global employment issues, contractor frameworks, and policy implementation.
• Navigate complex employment environments across multiple jurisdictions.
• Work with the Chief Corporate Development Officer advising on international expansion, entity structuring, and cross-border transactions.
• Support the Chief Corporate Development Officer with M&A activity, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships.
• Support the Chief Communications Officer with legal guidance on external-facing messaging, such as press releases and investor relations materials.
• In time, the expectation is that this position will build and manage a lean, scalable legal function, taking advantage of external counsel relationships where needed or required.
• Work as part of the core team managing the proposed IPO.  

WHO YOU ARE:

• Strategic thinker with the ability to operate at both high-level and detailed execution.
• Excellent communicator, comfortable influencing senior stakeholders.
• Flexible working hours required. As a global company, occasional early morning or late evening meetings may be necessary to collaborate with international teams and clients across time zones.
• Proactive and pragmatic, with strong problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable in a dynamic, international, and entrepreneurial environment.
• A sharp intellect with a curiosity to understand the business and its commercial drivers.
• Strong management and leadership skills, willing to both roll up your sleeves and be a thoughtful, company-wide partner.
• Desire to be an integral part of building something world-class.