Legal Counsel

Alpaca is seeking a sharp, thoughtful, and business-minded Legal Counsel to join our growing Legal team. This role is ideal for someone with deep broker-dealer regulatory expertise who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment and is excited to shape the future of brokerage infrastructure.

• Navigating complex regulatory frameworks to help the business design and implement innovative financial products and services

• Leading legal reviews of product design, marketing, and customer onboarding processes to ensure compliance with regulations while enabling business growth

• Supporting other areas of the business, such as digital assets and payments, as needed

• Advising on the application of new or anticipated legal requirements and regulatory guidance to the firm's systems, policies and procedures

• Monitoring regulatory developments at relevant governmental agencies and self-regulatory organizations, including the SEC, FINRA, CFTC, FinCEN and OFAC

• Support the company’s engagement with regulators including the SEC, FINRA, and other agencies

• Drafting agreements, disclosures, policies and procedures

• Conduct legal research and analysis on novel questions, and provide clear, practical guidance to internal stakeholders

• Partnering cross-functionally with teams outside of Legal, including the firm’s Product, Brokerage, Crypto, Compliance, Anti-Money Laundering, Sales and Success functions

What We Look For in You (Job Requirements):

• J.D. degree (or foreign equivalent) and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar

• 5+ years of legal experience, with at least 3 years focused on U.S. broker-dealer regulation (under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, regulations and rules thereunder, FINRA rules and other federal and state securities laws)

• Familiarity with U.S. cryptoasset regulatory regimes (e.g., SEC, CFTC, NYDFS, FinCEN, AML)

• Strong experience advising fintechs or financial institutions, ideally in a startup or growth-stage environment

• Demonstrated ability to deliver strategic, business-oriented legal advice under tight deadlines

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a practical, collaborative working style

• Strong judgment, self-motivation, and the ability to work independently and manage multiple projects

• Comfort with ambiguity and a growth mindset in a fast-scaling company

• Experience working in a financial services regulatory agency or a sophisticated regulatory practice within a major law firm