Deputy General Counsel, Commercial
About the Company:
World is building a real human network designed to accelerate people in the age of AI. As bots and autonomous agents reshape the internet, people, institutions, and applications need a trusted way to confirm who is a real human while preserving privacy. Our products make this possible: the Orb verifies real people, World ID proves it privately, and World App enables and distributes the new applications made possible by this technology. Together, they form a new layer for AI internet.
We’re one of the fastest-growing networks in tech. More than 17 million people across 160 countries have verified with World ID, and we complete over 350,000 verifications each week. World App is already among the most used wallets globally. Developers are integrating World ID to build safer online experiences and create spaces where real people can participate, earn, and be recognized in ways AI simply can’t replicate.
World was founded in 2019 and launched globally in 2023. We are more than 400 people across hardware, software, AI, cryptography, mobile engineering, and global operations. Our teams come from OpenAI, Tesla, SpaceX, Apple, Google, Stripe, Meta, Coinbase, Palantir and MIT Media Lab. We’re backed by leading investors, including a16z, Khosla Ventures, Bain Capital Crypto, Blockchain Capital, Variant, Tiger Global, and Coinbase Ventures, as well as prominent operators and founders across fintech and AI.
World has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, highlighted in Fast Company’s Next 5 in Fintech, and explored in a Bloomberg deep dive. The New York Times, Bankless and TechCrunch have all recognized our progress in identity, cryptography, AI, and global-scale hardware deployment. Our leadership is also named to the Time AI 100. Learn more about the newest product launches from our Unwrapped event.
About the Team:
Our Legal team is dedicated to supporting the World Network by managing Tools for Humanity’s legal affairs globally. We collaborate across the company to advance the blockchain project and enhance our products, including the Orb (our hardware device), World ID, World App, and World Chain. We value creativity, curiosity, a sense of humor, and a shared sense of urgency.
About the Opportunity:
We are seeking a Deputy General Counsel, Commercial to lead and scale Tools for Humanity’s global 6-person commercial legal function. This role is focused on supporting the company’s most important growth initiatives, particularly strategic partnerships and integrations.
You will own the end-to-end commercial contracting function, including leading complex negotiations, managing escalations, and building the systems, processes, and team needed to support a growing volume of complex, high-impact deals. A core expectation of this role is the ability to support multiple high-impact transactions at the same time while maintaining speed, consistency, and sound risk judgment.
You will act as both a senior deal lead and a builder of the commercial legal organization, designing a scalable operating model, developing playbooks and decision frameworks, and recruiting and leading a high-performing team over time.
The ideal candidate combines top-tier law firm training with significant in-house experience, exercises strong commercial judgment, and is comfortable operating at both a strategic level and in the details of execution. You should be equally effective leading complex negotiations, advising senior stakeholders, and improving systems and processes so the function can scale effectively.
In this role, you'll take ownership of the following areas of work:
- Commercial – Partnerships, Integrations, and Strategic Transactions
- Lead the structuring, drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex commercial agreements, with a primary focus on strategic partnerships and integrations, as well as key customer, vendor, and ecosystem relationships
- Own and manage the company’s most critical and high-risk commercial negotiations, including escalations and novel deal structures
- Advise senior stakeholders on commercial strategy, risk allocation, and transaction structuring, translating legal considerations into clear, actionable guidance
- Partner closely with business development, product, operations, and finance teams to move key initiatives forward quickly while maintaining appropriate risk discipline
- Coordinate effectively with subject matter experts across product, regulatory, privacy, IP, and security
- Function Building – Team, Systems, and Operating Model
- Refine and scale the existing commercial legal operating model, including intake, prioritization, ownership, and escalation frameworks, to support increasing deal volume and complexity
- Build, develop, and lead a world-class commercial legal team capable of supporting a high volume of concurrent, complex transactions
- Develop and continuously refine templates, fallback positions, playbooks, and guidance materials tailored to key partnership and integration structures
- Drive improvements in contracting workflows, tooling, and automation (including Ironclad and AI-enabled solutions) to increase deal velocity, consistency, and coverage
- Establish metrics and feedback loops to track performance, identify bottlenecks, and continuously improve execution
- Enable greater business autonomy through self-service tools and clear decision frameworks, while maintaining appropriate legal oversight
About You:
- Relevant Experience: 8–15+ years as a Commercial or Technology Transactions attorney at a leading law firm and in a senior in-house role with meaningful ownership of complex transactions and/or commercial legal functions
- Team Building & Operational Leadership: Experience building, mentoring, or significantly improving commercial legal teams or functions, including developing people, playbooks, processes, and scalable operating models, while leading by example through direct ownership of key transactions and initiatives
- Collaboration & Relationship Building: Proven ability to work effectively within a legal team as well as cross-functionally and to build high-trust relationships across teams and with external partners
- Communication & Influence: Excellent communicator who translates complex legal issues into clear, practical, and business-oriented guidance. Able to influence decision-making and drive alignment across stakeholders, including senior leadership, in fast-moving, high-stakes situations
- Emotional Intelligence & Executive Presence: High emotional intelligence and self-awareness; builds trust quickly through credibility, judgment, and a low-ego approach. Effectively navigates complex interpersonal dynamics, adapts to different stakeholders, and maintains composure under pressure
- Judgment & Integrity: Demonstrate sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, and high integrity in all interactions
- Adaptability & Initiative: Positive and collaborative attitude with intellectual curiosity, resourcefulness, and enjoyment of working in a very fast-paced, evolving environment. Willingness to take charge of projects and initiatives and see them through to successful outcomes, including operating autonomously and setting direction in the absence of complete information
- Attention to Detail: Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills, with a track record of improving processes and driving consistency and quality across a high volume of transactions
- Execution & Problem-Solving: Practical, business-oriented problem solver who can balance risk and speed; skilled at managing multiple priorities
- In-Person: Able to be in the office in San Francisco, CA
What we offer:
- Collaborative, creative office space in San Francisco
- Flexible, unlimited PTO
- Monthly phone reimbursement or company-provided device
- 3 meals/day served in house
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and mental health coverage
- 401(k) plan with employer match
- Commuter benefits and professional development stipend
_Pay transparency statement (for CA and NY based roles):
_ _The reasonably estimated salary for this role at TFH ranges from $297,500 - $350,000 , plus a competitive long term incentive package. Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. In addition, TFH offers a wide range of best in class, comprehensive and inclusive employee benefits for this role including healthcare, dental, vision, 401(k) plan and match, life insurance, flexible time off, commuter benefits, professional development stipend and much more!
_ _By submitting your application, you consent to the processing and internal sharing of your CV within the company, in compliance with the GDPR.
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