Assistant General Counsel, Product & Regulatory

About Upstart

Upstart is the leading AI lending marketplace partnering with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. By leveraging Upstart’s AI marketplace, Upstart-powered banks and credit unions can have higher approval rates and lower loss rates across races, ages, and genders, while simultaneously delivering the exceptional digital-first lending experience their customers demand. More than 80% of borrowers are approved instantly, with zero documentation to upload.

Upstart is a digital-first company, which means that most Upstarters live and work anywhere in the United States. However, we also have offices in San Mateo, California; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas.

Most Upstarters join us because they connect with our mission of enabling access to effortless credit based on true risk. If you are energized by the impact you can make at Upstart, we’d love to hear from you!

The Role:

As the Assistant General Counsel, Product & Regulatory Legal you will play a key role in providing legal guidance in supporting Upstart’s product and marketing initiatives, as well as in developing new products and features to serve the personal loan, open line of credit, small dollar loan and auto refinance market.

How you’ll make an impact

Strategic Legal Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and develop a team of attorneys and legal professionals within the Product & Regulatory Legal Team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and professional growth
• Serve as the primary legal advisor for origination-related matters, guiding the product and marketing teams through complex legal and regulatory considerations
• Act as a key escalation point for the legal team, ensuring issues are efficiently triaged and resolved, and provide timely, business-oriented recommendations

Product & Regulatory Counsel

• Provide strategic legal counsel on product development, marketing, and customer onboarding for personal loan, small dollar loan, open line of credit, and auto refinance products offered through Upstart’s bank partnership platform
• Conduct and oversee legal research and analysis on federal and state consumer finance laws, developing practical requirements documentation and compliant marketing and origination frameworks
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory changes, and enforcement developments to proactively advise business leaders on risk and opportunity areas

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Partner with Product, Growth, Risk, and Compliance to design compliant and customer-friendly financial products and online experiences
• Collaborate across legal teams—including lawyers supporting Privacy, Fair Lending, Capital Markets, and Commercial areas—to support enterprise-wide initiatives
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with internal stakeholders, influencing product and marketing strategies with sound, business-oriented legal guidance

Legal Risk Identification and Management

• Advise on disputes and issues escalated from the Compliance team, particularly those related to marketing or loan origination practices
• Identify and communicate key legal risks to business partners; ability to distill complex legal matters and risks for senior leadership in a clear and actionable manner, synthesizing complex concepts into concise recommendations

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. degree with superior academic credentials and a state bar membership;
• At least 10+ years of experience in a top-tier law firm, government, in-house legal department, and/or fintech/startup experience with at least 5 years focused on in marketing and consumer loan origination;
• In-depth knowledge of federal and state open and closed end consumer lending and consumer protection laws, including FCRA, TILA, ECOA, GLBA, UDAAP, EFTA, ESIGN, FDCPA, bankruptcy, AML/BSA, and servicing/debt collection laws;
• Experience with marketing, bank partnership programs, personal loans, small dollar lending, auto refinance loans, and open lines of credits; and
• Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to effectively and proactively provide quick, concise, and practical legal advice involving competing interests.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with use of AI in providing solid legal advice and developing team efficiencies
• Experience with loan servicing and debt collection, data privacy and security, and auto retail lending/retail installment sales contracts;
• Vendor management and vendor contract negotiation experience; and
• State licensing and exam experience.

Position location

This role is available in the following locations: Remote, San Mateo, CA, and Columbus, OH

Time zone requirements

The team operates on the East/West coast time zones.

Travel requirements

As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.

What you'll love

• Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart
• 401(k) with 100% company match up to $4,500 and immediate vesting and after-tax savings
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Life and disability insurance
• Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave
• Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs
• Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs
• Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering
• Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices

At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$227,600—$315,000 USD

Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. We are dedicated to ensuring that underrepresented classes receive better access to affordable credit, and are just as committed to embracing diversity and inclusion in our hiring practices. We celebrate all cultures, backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, and know that we can only become better together.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [email protected]