Managing Counsel, Regulatory Affairs

The Managing Counsel, Regulatory Affairs will be the key adviser to the company on all regulatory issues faced by Circle.  Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, the Managing Counsel, Regulatory Affairs will provide solutions to complex legal problems in uncertain regulatory frameworks, advising the business on how existing or new crypto-based product offerings can fit into existing regulatory schemes – and then executing on such plans. You will also work with management on engaging key regulators to advocate for regulations that meet business needs. As the company’s senior regulatory lawyer, you will analyze Circle’s current and future product and feature offerings to determine the best license framework to pursue and work with the management team to determine strategy. You will be joining a fun, dynamic and growing legal team working collaboratively on novel legal issues.

What you'll work on

• Drive legal analysis and projects to completion, quickly and efficiently
• Assess regulatory and other legal risks and make recommendations to senior leadership as to the best ways to address them
• Serve as the internal expert on regulatory questions and as a point person for engagement with key regulators
• Stay on top of developments in the regulatory environment for blockchain and cryptocurrency offerings and advise management on new risks or opportunities
• Supervise and manage outside counsel to ensure that all aspects of Circle’s legal representation are of the highest quality, including overall strategy and the day-to-day running of matters
• Coordinate with management and the product team to understand the operational and product development impact of licenses and regulatory frameworks

What you'll bring to Circle

• 8+ years experience at a regulated financial services company, top tier law firm, relevant government agency, and/or self-regulatory organization
• Significant experience with the regulatory frameworks of the SEC and CFTC and related SROs such as FINRA; experience with money service business and state money transmission and cryptocurrency regulatory regimes; understanding of FATF, FinCEN, AML/BSA, and other federal laws and regulations applicable to crypto finance  
• Passion and depth of experience with blockchain technology and cryptocurrency
• Deep understanding of financial markets including risks related to payments, exchanges, and other financial products
• Superior communication skills. You should be comfortable engaging with top management, external counsel and regulators on topics critical to Circle’s success
• Must be comfortable providing legal guidance on short timelines and then helping to execute on the business decision – even if it involves legal risks
• Exemplary personal and professional integrity and business ethics
• Exercises discretion and maintains confidentiality of sensitive information
• Ability to manage a budget, and to hold outside counsel to one

Circle is a pioneer in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology and financial services, with a track record of building products and services used by millions of consumers and thousands of companies.  Circle’s Platform has supported over $80B in transactions with customers in over 150 countries. Circle’s most recent crypto currency project, US Dollar Coin (USDC), is the fastest growing and most widely adopted fully backed and audited US dollar stablecoin in the world.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Circle. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.