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Kraken · 1 week ago

Senior Counsel – Product

United States

Full-time

Remote

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$146K/yr - $293K/yr

10+ years exp

Kraken is a mission-focused company rooted in crypto values, seeking to accelerate the global adoption of crypto. The Senior Counsel role involves partnering with cross-functional teams to drive licensing efforts and provide legal guidance on product development in the crypto space.

BitcoinBlockchainCryptocurrencyEthereum

Growth Opportunities

Responsibilities

Lead licensing/registration workstreams: scope requirements, map pathways, coordinate outside counsel, compile application materials, and manage regulator interactions

Own cross‑functional product counseling across the build cycle (discovery → design → launch → iteration), delivering crisp, actionable guidance and risk‑based options to product, engineering, compliance, and leadership

Translate complex regulatory frameworks (e.g., MiCA, AML/CFT, financial promotions, e‑money, MiFID, EMIR, derivatives, market structure) into pragmatic controls and go‑to‑market guardrails

Draft and negotiate product‑critical agreements (platform T&Cs, bespoke agreements, and partnership deals) with clear, business‑aligned positions

Support incident and supervisory responses with well‑reasoned written submissions and evidence packages

Foster a culture of clarity, favoring plain‑English communication, measurable risk tradeoffs, and decision‑ready recommendations

Qualification

Qualified lawyerLicensing experienceRegulatory fluencyProduct developmentFinancial services lawAnalytical skillsDrafting skillsOrganisational skillsPassion for cryptoKraken productsAI tools familiarityPlain-English communicationNegotiation skills

Required

Qualified lawyer (Solicitor of England & Wales, Irish Solicitor, or equivalent admitted in an EU Member State)

10+ years' PQE in financial services law within a regulated financial services institution (e.g., an exchange, central clearing counterparty, broker-dealer/asset manager, trading firm, bank, brokerage, or crypto services provider) or in a law firm/private practice supporting such clients (ideally with some in-house or direct product counseling experience)

Demonstrated experience leading licensing or registration efforts (US and/or international), including planning, applications, regulator engagement, and operationalization

Experience with advising on regulated MiFID investment services and familiarity with relevant crypto-asset regimes, including MiCA, AMLD5, UK financial promotions, and/or e-money regulations

Outstanding analytical, drafting, and organisational skills with crisp, plain-English writing

Ability to efficiently and confidently distill complex legal and regulatory issues into clear, actionable guidance for non-lawyers and product stakeholders

Pragmatic, commercially accountable approach to legal and regulatory risk that prioritises providing stakeholders with a useful range of options and delivers clear recommendations to decision-makers

Demonstrates an authentic passion for crypto and familiarity with the features of both Kraken and its competitors' apps and products

Preferred

Expertise in MiCA framework applicable to CASPs including brokerage, custody and the operation of trading platforms

Expertise in UK crypto-asset financial promotions regime and proposals for incoming authorisation regime for regulating crypto asset service providers

Expertise in EMIR including the clearing obligation, regulatory margin for non-centrally cleared derivatives and transaction reporting, desirable

Expertise in MiFID frameworks applicable to investment services including derivatives, equities, funds and emerging tokenised financial instruments

Familiarity with using AI tools such as Enterprise GPTs to increase efficient provision of legal services, create custom GPTs allowing stakeholders to self-serve on commoditised legal and regulatory queries