Head of Legal

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The Head of Legal will own all legal strategy, risk management, and corporate governance for Shinkei Systems and its affiliated entities. This role is focused on protecting the business while enabling rapid execution across robotics, seafood operations, and CPG commercialization.

The Head of Legal will act as both a strategic advisor and hands-on operator designing scalable legal systems, reducing outside counsel dependency, and ensuring compliant, efficient growth across complex operational and commercial activities. You will be a close strategic partner to the business – driving decisions in supply chain, product, and commercial strategy.

What You Get To Do:

Act as a true legal generalist – identify, triage, and correct risks to the business

Serve as an embedded legal partner to every vertical within the company, primarily Finance, Sales, Operations, Marine Resources, Quality Assurance, Government Affairs, and People

Manage commercial agreements and financing documentation – draft, negotiate, and close financing transactions and service and commercial agreements at all stages

Maintain legal backbone of the business – build and maintain basic legal templates and playbooks - non-disclosure agreements, leases, vendor / partnership contracts, etc.

Act as the point guard for specialized outside counsel – translating legalese into plain language and business opportunities into execution

Implement regulatory and compliance best practices, particularly in food safety and intellectual property regulations

Own corporate governance, entity management, investor rights, and board-related matters

What You Will Need:

8+ years of experience in corporate law, commercial contracts, and operational legal environments

JD from an accredited law school and an active California state bar membership in good standing (Washington and Alaska are a bonus)

Experience in food & beverage, manufacturing, seafood, maritime, or other regulated supply chains strongly preferred

Experience with equity and venture financing or M&A transactions and cross-border agreements

Preferred: In-house experience at a high-growth technology or consumer goods startup

Comfort operating without a large legal team and willingness to straddle both strategic advisory and day-to-day execution

Core Responsibility Areas

1. Corporate Governance & Entity Management

Corporate governance structure across multiple entities (operating companies, shell entities, subsidiaries)

Board governance support, resolutions, approvals, and corporate recordkeeping

Management of corporate structure as company scales (including potential new entities)

Oversight of equity governance processes (working with Finance / People / Carta or equivalent systems)

2. Financing, Equity & Board Matters

Support financing activities (equity and debt)

Board approvals and investor-related legal coordination

Equity plan administration (option plans, grants, compliance)

Loan agreements and structured financing arrangements

Coordination with external counsel on financing rounds and investor documentation

3. Commercial Contracts & Strategic Agreements

Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements across:

Supply chain and dock agreements

Vessel / fishing operations agreements (including IFQ-related structures)

Manufacturing and processing contracts

Customer and distribution agreements (CPG / seafood sales)

Building scalable contract frameworks and templates

Structuring “protective provisions” in strategic partnerships (risk allocation, liability, exclusivity, termination)

4. Regulatory, Food Safety & Compliance

FDA compliance, food safety, labeling, and regulatory oversight (seafood/CPG)

Compliance strategy for food production, processing, and distribution operations

Support for inspection readiness and regulatory engagement

Cross-functional partnership with Operations and QA teams

5. IP, Technology & Data Protection

Intellectual property strategy and protection (hardware, robotics, software systems)

IP assignment agreements and contractor protections

Data protection and security considerations (as applicable to systems and partners)

6. Outside Counsel & Legal Cost Optimization

Select, manage, and coordinate outside counsel relationships

Route legal work efficiently to minimize external legal spend

Build internal triage system for legal requests (what is handled in-house vs. outsourced)

Negotiate legal fees and engagement structures with firms

Manage engagement letters and consultant legal arrangements

7. Contracting Systems & Operational Legal Infrastructure

Build scalable contracting workflows and systems

Standardize engagement letters for consultants, contractors, and vendors

Create internal legal playbooks and templates

Support procurement and vendor contracting processes

8. Risk Management & Value Protection

Identify and mitigate legal and operational risk across business units

Ensure legal structures support “value protection vs. value creation” balance

Advise leadership on risk exposure in operational expansion (boats, processing, distribution, robotics deployments)

9. Cross-Border / Complex Operational Structures (if applicable)

Support structuring for vessels, fishing operations, and IFQ-related arrangements

Coordination of legal frameworks across jurisdictions and operational contexts

Success Profile

Builds legal systems that scale with fast operational growth

Reduces reliance on expensive outside counsel while improving speed

Enables commercial velocity while protecting downside risk

Creates clarity across contracts, governance, and entity structure

Strong partner to Finance, Operations, and Executive leadership

You should mention GoInhouse.com when applying for this position.

Comfortable operating as both:

Builder of systems

Hands-on deal lawyer