Employment Counsel, Plaid
$135.9-226.8k
+ Equity
Data network powering the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life
Job no longer available
Data network powering the tools millions of people rely on to live a healthier financial life
1001+ employees
Job no longer available
$135.9-226.8k
+ Equity
1001+ employees
Company mission
To unlock financial freedom for everyone.
Role
Who you are
- 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
- 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!
What the job involves
- 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
- 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
Our take
Plaid builds infrastructure that allows consumers to interact with their bank account on the web through a number of third-party applications, like Venmo, Robinhood, Coinbase, Acorns and LendingClub.
Plaid has integrated with over 12,000 financial institutions in the US, Canada, the UK and Europe. And about a quarter of people living in North America with bank accounts have linked with Plaid through at least one of the hundreds of apps that leverage Plaid’s application program interfaces (APIs).
The platform allows companies to create financial services applications without having to hire their own team of engineers to build out a tool that connects apps to its users’ bank accounts. This is very valuable in a world where there are increasing number of fintechs, so the demand for Plaid's services are only going to grow.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Apr 2025
$575m
LATE VC
Apr 2021
$425m
SERIES D
Total funding: $1.3bn
Company benefits
- Vibrant offices in SF, NYC, and Raleigh-Durham—with catered meals, happy hours, and clubs to keep you connected
- Competitive pay, comprehensive health benefits, and support for fertility, mental health, and parental leave
- Lifestyle perks including home office stipends, daycare support, and commuting benefits like CitiBike and Lyft
Company HQ
SoMa, San Francisco, CA
Leadership
Zach Perret
(Co-Founder & CEO)Previously, Zach was a Consultant at Bain and a Research Fellow and Trustee at Duke before co-founding Plaid ion 2012.
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