Director of Legal

We are hiring our first in-house legal counsel to build the legal function at FirstPrinciples. This role will be based in Canada and will serve as the primary legal partner for the entire organization globally.

Requirements

• Develop and oversee AI governance frameworks, including responsible AI policies, model documentation standards, and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions.
• Advise on intellectual property strategy, including patent evaluation, trade secrets, open-source licensing, and ownership of AI-generated research outputs.
• Support corporate governance for Canadian, US, and future international entities, including board matters, resolutions, and regulatory obligations.
• Structure, draft, and negotiate data acquisition, licensing, and usage agreements with academic institutions, research consortia, publishers, and other data providers across multiple jurisdictions.
• Lead legal structuring and negotiation of collaboration agreements with universities, research institutes, nonprofits, and other partners globally.
• Develop and manage legal frameworks for fellowships, internships, co-op programs, visiting researcher arrangements, and academic secondments across Canada, the US, and other regions.
• Advise on cross-border charitable solicitation, donor restrictions, grant agreements, and nonprofit regulatory requirements.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks early and provide clear, practical guidance to leadership.