Legal Counsel, Parity
Blockchain infrastructure for the decentralised web
Job no longer available
Blockchain infrastructure for the decentralised web
101-200 employees
Job no longer available
101-200 employees
Company mission
To enable businesses and organisations to capitalise on blockchain technology and benefit from the new opportunities it presents.
Role
Who you are
- Highly motivated to contribute to Parity’s mission and be part of something bigger
- Excited to work on projects that are groundbreaking and complex
- Autonomous, but also collaborate well with others
- Take maximum accountability and have minimum ego at work
- Comfortable with chaos and adapting to the ever-changing Web3 space
- Continuously educating themselves about Parity and the wider Polkadot ecosystem
- You are 3 years plus PQE UK Qualified commercial lawyer with a minimum of 1 years in house experience
- You are commercially aware with in house legal experience. Knowledge of blockchain is going to be nice to have, however an interest in and desire to learn about blockchain, open source and decentralised systems will be the key drivers and requirements of the candidate’s mindset and background
- Specific areas of knowledge and experience that would be welcome:
- Corporate law
- Drafting and negotiating commercial software agreements; and
- Privacy and data protection
- Key characteristics: self-starter and able to work independently, someone who is willing and keen to work in a relatively new industry and uncertain regulatory environment, and someone that is comfortable working within ambiguity
What the job involves
- We are looking for an experienced, independent and self-starting UK qualified Legal Counsel for a permanent role here in Parity technologies
- Our business focuses on blockchain and decentralised technologies
- This role will support the business across its functions, in particular on licensing and intellectual property; structuring, negotiating and drafting software development and advisory agreements; privacy issues; and corporate governance
- The ideal candidate will have trained with a reputable firm; gained in-house experience within an organisation similar to Parity (IP rich, open source, privacy centric, software focussed); experience in negotiating and drafting software development and licensing agreements and supporting businesses with privacy compliance and corporate governance; interested in and a passion for open source and Web3 and Blockchain
- The legal team advises and supports Parity across all of the business
- We are a fun hardworking team of 3 lawyers, 1 Trainee Solicitor and a Legal & Finance associate headed up by the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer (Interim) (Chrissy Hill)
- The work of the team is varied and challenging supporting a fast moving business which is growing rapidly
- Reporting to the Director of Legal, the Legal Counsel provides proactive legal support to all areas of the business
- Ensuring optimal corporate organisation and compliance in corporate governance
- Reviewing, drafting, and negotiating commercial contracts and legal agreements across the business
- Developing and managing Parity’s IP strategy, liaising with internal stakeholders and external legal counsel
- Overseeing commercial litigation in collaboration with external counsel
- Monitoring the legal and regulatory environment related to blockchain
- Handling ad hoc projects as required by business needs
- Providing accurate, timely advice to internal stakeholders, including senior management, on a variety of legal topics (e.g., licensing, intellectual property, privacy, corporate law, partnerships, and commercial agreements)
- Applying effective risk management techniques and proactively addressing potential legal issues
- Communicating, negotiating, and managing relationships with external parties (e.g., service providers, partners, external counsel, public authorities)
- Drafting and reviewing agreements, contracts, and other legal documents to protect the company’s legal rights
- Managing complex matters with multiple stakeholders
- Clarifying legal language or specifications for organisational understanding
- Keeping up-to-date with industry and business-specific legislation and legal developments
- Understanding blockchain, decentralised technologies, and Parity’s technology stack to advise on related legal matters
Our take
Parity is a blockchain developer that builds infrastructure for the next generation of the internet. The open-source nature of Parity helps charities, businesses, and fintech institutions make the most of Web 3.0.
Founded in 2015 by department-heading employees of Ethereum, Parity has already partnered with the likes of Watr to track ethical commodities to help African economies. Its partnership with Aventus will help enterprises make more of the technology they champion. Both partnerships are examples of how scalable, flexible and powerful Parity’s infrastructure could be for the future of the internet.
With a focus on decentralisation, Parity has attracted investors such as the Digital Currency Group and the Ethereum Foundation, showing how integral they are to next-gen web development. Whilst it has yet to seek funding beyond its seed funding and several grants, its partnerships with larger companies, as well as the success of its subsidiaries (such as Polkadot) will definitely help propel Parity into the future.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (2 rounds)
Jan 2019
$5m
GRANT
Apr 2016
$0.8m
SEED
Total funding: $5.8m
Company benefits
- Free German language courses
- Personal development budget
- Free drinks and snacks
- Company and team events
- A KICKASS team with the ambition to change the world with open-source software
Company values
- Work on what interests you - Parity believes people do their best work when they’re driven by their own curiosity and interest. They align people with the projects they’re passionate about
- Work on your own terms - Flexible schedule and location. Work from home or bring your dog to the office. Most communication is done asynchronously through GitHub and chat
- Do meaningful work - Parity is an organization where people are valued for their contributions. They focus on development, not on unnecessary meetings
Company HQ
Westminster, London, UK
Articles
Leadership
Gavin Wood
(Shareholder)Co-founder of Polkadot. Founder and President at Web3 Foundation, previously Co-Founder at Grid Singularity, Co-Founder and CTO at Ethereum Foundation, and Director of Technology at OxLegal.
Bjorn Wagner
(CEO)Initially served as CCO at the company before transitioning into their current role as CEO.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Parity
- Female founded
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