The Legal Counsel will manage legal risks, provide expert guidance in liability matters, and support business growth by ensuring compliance in new market integrations and vendor agreements.
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.
Key Responsibilities
- Represent and advise the company and its agents in professional liability (E&O) lawsuits, administrative complaints, and compensation disputes.
- Manage outside counsel for specialized or high-stakes claims, ensuring aggressive and cost-effective representation.
- Act as a primary resource for agents facing legal challenges, providing calm, expert guidance under pressure.
- Lead the legal "playbook" for launching in new geographic markets, navigating varying state licensing requirements and brokerage regulations.
- 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.
- Drive negotiations with top-tier agents and teams to facilitate rapid growth.
- Review, draft, and negotiate complex agreements with vendors supporting internal corporate needs (SaaS, marketing, professional services).
- 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.
- Stay at the forefront of real estate industry trends, including the impact of Generative AI on brokerage operations and evolving NAR/MLS policy changes.
- Translate complex industry developments into actionable advice for the executive team and our agent network to maintain a competitive and compliant edge.
- Partner with our People Team to advise on employment issues and independent contractor classifications.
- Maintain deep knowledge of NAR, MLS, and Association of Realtors rules to ensure company policies remain competitive and compliant.
- Provide rapid, thorough legal recommendations that enable the business to move fast without taking on reckless exposure.
Qualifications & Experience
- J.D. from a top-tier law school with an active bar membership in California. Bar membership in additional states is a plus.
- 7+ years of legal practice. Training at a large law firm (Big Law) is a plus.
- Proven experience working within a licensed real estate brokerage AND a high-growth technology startup.
- 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.
- You are not an "over-conservative" lawyer. You analyze risks thoroughly but make decisions quickly to support business momentum.
Compensation and Perks
- Stock options
- Best-in-class benefits, including 100% healthcare coverage (medical, vision, and dental)
- Flexible PTO
- Learning and development credit
- Pet-friendly environment
Side is dedicated to working with the highest skilled people from the most inclusive talent pool feasible. We maintain that diversity in all aspects leads to positive change, solutions and innovation for our customers and career fulfillment for our employees. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply!
Side uses the E-Verify employment verification program.
Our stewardship of the data of many of our customers means that a background and DRE license check is required to join Side. We will, nonetheless, consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accord with applicable law, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.
To learn more about Side's Privacy Policy or to make a request related to your personal data, please find more information here: https://www.side.com/peopleops-privacy-policy/.
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