Legal Counsel

Side•San Francisco, CA

15h•$160,000 - $260,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Side, we believe everyone should own their path. Side is a real estate startup that pioneered the concept of brokerage-as-a-service to help top real estate professionals create and run their own companies without having to operate a brokerage. Our proprietary platform makes the real estate transaction process far more efficient for both agents and home buyers/sellers. Before Side, exceptional real estate agents had two choices: You could join an antiquated traditional brokerage, relinquish control of your business, and pay hefty fees for marginal value. Or you could start your own independent brokerage, massively increase your liability, and take on the burden of running your own back office. We created a third option: Own your own business and run it on the Side platform. Agents get to focus on what they do best — selling real estate — while Side operates in the background to facilitate their transactions, and help them grow. Side is led by experienced industry professionals and world-class engineers who develop technology designed to improve agent productivity and enhance the client experience. The company is backed by over $300 million in funding from top-tier venture capital firms, including Coatue, Tiger, D1, Sapphire, Trinity, and Matrix.. Headquartered in San Francisco, Side currently operates in 16 states, with plans to expand nationwide in the coming years. We were named Company of the Year by Inman News (the leading industry publication) and a Most Innovative Company of 2022 by Fast Company. At Side, you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate and innovate your way to success. Becoming an inSider means that you’ll be empowering business leaders to become business owners, all while forging your own path with like-minded entrepreneurs. Join us at Side and own your career, your impact, and your life! We are seeking a Legal Counsel who thrives in the "gray area"—someone who can balance rigorous legal analysis with the high-velocity needs of a tech startup. This role is for a litigator by trade who has evolved into a strategic business partner. You will protect the company and our independent contractor agents in professional liability matters while simultaneously architecting our expansion into new markets and ancillary service lines. This is a hybrid role based in our San Francisco headquarters. To foster collaboration and maintain our fast-paced culture, we require 2 days per week in the office.

Requirements

Education: J.D. from a top-tier law school with an active bar membership in California.
Experience :7+ years of legal practice.
Industry Background: Proven experience working within a licensed real estate brokerage AND a high-growth technology startup .
Subject Matter Expertise: Deep understanding of professional liability and E&O claims.Mastery of RESPA Section 8 and affiliated business arrangement (AfBA) structures.Familiarity with MLS rules and agent compensation structures.
Mindset : You are not an "over-conservative" lawyer. You analyze risks thoroughly but make decisions quickly to support business momentum.

Nice To Haves

Bar membership in additional states is a plus.
Training at a large law firm (Big Law) is a plus.

Responsibilities

Direct Defense: Represent and advise the company and its agents in professional liability (E&O) lawsuits, administrative complaints, and compensation disputes.
Counsel Supervision: Manage outside counsel for specialized or high-stakes claims, ensuring aggressive and cost-effective representation.
Agent Advocacy: Act as a primary resource for agents facing legal challenges, providing calm, expert guidance under pressure.
Launch Strategy: Lead the legal "playbook" for launching in new geographic markets, navigating varying state licensing requirements and brokerage regulations.
Ancillary Services: Advise on the compliant integration of mortgage, title, and insurance services. Ensure all referral structures and joint ventures strictly adhere to RESPA, the Fair Housing Act, and state-specific laws.
High-Value Negotiations: Drive negotiations with top-tier agents and teams to facilitate rapid growth.
Corporate Procurement: Review, draft, and negotiate complex agreements with vendors supporting internal corporate needs (SaaS, marketing, professional services).
Agent Service Network: Architect and manage the contractual framework for third-party vendors who provide services directly to our real estate agent customers, ensuring seamless integration and risk allocation.
Trend Monitoring: Stay at the forefront of real estate industry trends, including the impact of Generative AI on brokerage operations and evolving NAR/MLS policy changes.
Proactive Guidance: Translate complex industry developments into actionable advice for the executive team and our agent network to maintain a competitive and compliant edge.
Employment Law: Partner with our People Team to advise on employment issues and independent contractor classifications.
Industry Compliance: Maintain deep knowledge of NAR, MLS, and Association of Realtors rules to ensure company policies remain competitive and compliant.
Risk/Reward Balancing: Provide rapid, thorough legal recommendations that enable the business to move fast without taking on reckless exposure.