Corporate Counsel

Cape

Corporate Counsel managing legal needs across regulatory matters and contracts at privacy-first mobile carrier Cape. Seeking a builder with legal experience to navigate complex legal landscapes.

Posted 7/1/2026full-timeArlington • Virginia • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $210,000 - $250,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own legal needs across the company, spanning interactions with regulatory agencies, government and commercial contracts, employment matters, and IP risks.
Serve as the primary legal point of contact for internal stakeholders across Engineering, Product, Business Development, and Operations - acting as a true mini-GC for the business.
Establish, scale, and manage Cape’s internal legal processes, templates (eg MSAs, NDAs), and compliance frameworks (eg FCC, state licensing).
Build and manage a curated outside counsel network, directing external lawyers on complex matters and deciding when and how to engage them.
Partner with our government contracts team and outside counsel on FARS/DFARS, contract formation, teaming agreements, and compliance questions as we execute on defense programs.
Professionalize how Cape thinks about legal risk - establish processes and frameworks where none currently exist.
Work closely with leadership on corporate matters, partnerships, and transactions as the business scales.

Requirements

What you’ll need

JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing. Typically requires 3-8+ years of legal experience, ideally with a mix of top-tier law firm training and early-stage/growth startup experience.
A genuine interest in getting conversant in new areas - you don't need to walk in knowing government contracts or telecom regulation, but you need to be the kind of lawyer who gets up to speed fast and earns the trust of engineers, sales professionals, and outside specialists alike.
The instincts of a builder: you're comfortable being the first person to own something, and you'd rather figure it out than wait for a playbook.
Comfort operating with ambiguity and across functions - you're as effective in a room with engineers as you are with outside counsel.
A long-term interest in a broad, general practice - whether that means GC one day or just continuing to do interesting work across a wide range of areas.

Benefits

Comp & perks

401(k) match
Unlimited PTO
100% coverage of medical, dental, and vision premiums for you and your dependents
12 weeks paid parental leave (for all parents, no waiting period)
Stipends for
Family-forming needs
Gender-affirming care

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Contract FormationRegulatory ComplianceLegal Risk ManagementIntellectual Property LawEmployment LawCommercial ContractsFARS/DFARS KnowledgeTemplate DevelopmentInternal Legal ProcessesOutside Counsel Management

Soft Skills

Interpersonal CommunicationAdaptabilityProblem-SolvingCollaborationTrust Building