Associate Counsel | Fintech,

A fast-growing fintech company is hiring an Associate Counsel to join its small legal team in Austin.This is a broad in-house role, but it's not a generic junior lawyer opening. The strongest candidates will have hands-on experience with commercial contracts, technology transactions, product counselling, fintech/regulatory work, or company-side startup / venture-backed clients.You will work across:- NDAs, evaluation agreements, data licences and commercial contracts- Product and regulatory counselling- Legal operations and high-volume legal process improvement- Cross-functional legal support for commercial, product and leadership teams- AI-enabled legal workflows and internal efficiency projectsThe company is looking for someone who can draft, redline, negotiate and think commercially. You do not need to be a finished product, but you do need real legal reps that translate into a fast-moving fintech environment.The ideal profile:- 1-3 years’ post-JD legal experience- Current or recent private practice or in-house legal experience- US law school JD- Active bar admission in at least one US jurisdiction- Austin-based or genuinely willing to relocate, ideally with Texas ties- Experience in one or more of: commercial contracts, tech transactions, fintech/regulatory, product counselling, ECVC, emerging companies, venture-backed clients, software/SaaS, data licensing or broader startup legal work- Strong drafting, redlining and negotiation skills- High attention to detail, accountability and on-time delivery- Ambitious, low ego and comfortable taking ownership earlyThis is a rare opportunity for a junior lawyer to join as the fourth member of a legal team at a serious fintech business, with direct senior legal exposure and much broader responsibility than a typical 1-3 year role.Compensation: $130,000-$180,000 base plus equity.Hybrid in Austin. Relocation may be considered for the right candidate. This will suit someone who wants earlier ownership and a broader legal platform.