Senior Counsel - International Legal

At Coinbase, our mission is to increase economic freedom around the world, and we couldn’t do this without hiring the best people. We’re a group of hard-working overachievers who are deeply focused on building the future of finance and Web3 for our users across the globe, whether they’re trading, storing, staking or using crypto. Know those people who always lead the group project? That’s us.

There are a few things we look for across all hires we make at Coinbase, regardless of role or team. First, we look for candidates who will thrive in a culture like ours, where we default to trust, embrace feedback, and disrupt ourselves. Second, we expect all employees to commit to our mission-focused approach to our work. Finally, we seek people who are excited to learn about and live crypto, because those are the folks who enjoy the intense moments in our sprint and recharge work culture. We’re a remote-first company looking to hire the absolute best talent all over the world.

Ready to #LiveCrypto? Who you are:

You’ve got positive energy. You’re optimistic about the future and determined to get there.
You’re never tired of learning. You want to be a pro in bleeding edge tech like DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and Web 3.0.
You appreciate direct communication. You’re both an active communicator and an eager listener - because let’s face it, you can’t have one without the other. You’re cool with candid feedback and see every setback as an opportunity to grow.
You can pivot on the fly. Crypto is constantly evolving, so our priorities do, too. What you worked on last month may not be what you work on today, and that excites you. You’re not looking for a boring job.
You have a “can do” attitude. Our teams create high-quality work on quick timelines. Owning a problem doesn’t scare you, but rather empowers you to take 100% responsibility for achieving our mission.
You want to be part of a winning team. We’re stronger together, and you’re a person who embraces being pushed out of your comfort zone.

Coinbase is leading the expansion of digital currency into the financial mainstream. We are building a world-class legal team to support Coinbase and its affiliates as we continue to grow the company in the U.S. and internationally. You will be working in a cutting edge and fast paced environment, where disruptive technologies and unconventional thinking are the norm. Given the nascent state of the law, novel legal guidance is needed!

We are looking for an experienced Brazilian counsel to join our International Legal team. This position will report into our APAC / Americas lead, and will work closely with a number of global cross functional teams in legal, product, commercial and related teams. You will be responsible for senior legal leadership for our growing Brazilian crypto business, including regulatory responses, licensing and registration, OC management, and legal advocacy for Coinbase within Brazil and other markets in Latin America. As a member of the International Team, you will also support Coinbase’s work in other jurisdictions around the world. We are looking for candidates with prior experience with financially regulated products, particularly securities and derivatives, and prior experience working with national and provincial regulators. In-house experience is a plus. Preference for prior experience and/or interest in cryptocurrency markets and custody.

What you’ll be doing (i.e., job duties):

Work with business teams on securing required licenses and registrations for our Brazilian entity and businesses, as well as supporting other entities in Latin America and the rest of the world.
Provide full product life-cycle counseling for a variety of global consumer and institutional products, and practical advice on associated legal issues and risks, complex agreement structures and company policies in a risk-tolerant, but compliance-oriented environment.
Stay abreast of and advise on digital currency and blockchain technology legal and regulatory issues.
Lead and assist with complex and global cross-functional efforts, driving and ensuring cross-functional alignment with other stakeholders (Local Management, Product/Engineering, Business Development, Finance/Tax, Compliance).
Effectively collaborate with those same cross-functional teams and legal colleagues to solve problems, build partnerships, and close deals quickly.
Proactively solve problems for the business as they plan and execute on an aggressive global growth plan, develop scaled strategies for addressing risk in business-centric ways and build commercial processes that allow the business flexibility and freedom to move quickly.
Operate in a fast paced, demanding environment and quickly adjust to meet leadership's needs.
Recognize priority initiatives and effectively manage your clients and your advice to scale your advice and provide the right level of guidance for the request at hand.
Look around corners and creatively solve problems for the business as they plan, build, and execute their transactional and product roadmap.
Be a business partner, not just an attorney.

What we look for in you (i.e., job requirements):

Currently practicing as an attorney in Brazil, with active Brazilian bar registration and 5+ years of legal experience.
Excellent written and verbal communication abilities in both Portuguese and English
Interest in digital currency and blockchain technology.
Experience advising clients on new and changing regulatory requirements.
Experience working and leading with cross-functional, globally located teams.
Comfortable challenging the status quo and preconceived notions of what is possible.
Excellent judgment, analytical rigor, clear communication, and business pragmatism.
Top-notch analytical skills with experience owning projects from concept to finish.
Comfort with risk-taking and creative problem-solving.
Intellectual curiosity and flexibility.
Team-oriented and collaborative.

Nice to haves:

Ability to understand legal documents in Spanish.
Experience working with Brazilian financial services and securities regulators.
Familiarity with relevant money transmission laws, travel rules, global banking regulations, securities regulations, client money regimes and/or commodities regulations outside of Brazil.
Experience counseling product teams in launching new products.

Job #: P57322

Commitment to Equal Opportunity

Coinbase is committed to diversity in its workforce and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected by applicable law. Coinbase will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. For US applicants, you may view the Know Your Rights notice here. Additionally, Coinbase participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law.

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