San Francisco Bay Area
In-house legal leader with 10+ years building commercial legal operations for high-growth SaaS and cybersecurity companies. As the first legal hire at Veza, I built a tight team supporting complex, fast-paced enterprise SaaS and AI/ML product development. I specialize in commercial contracting, AI model licensing, data protection, privacy compliance (GDPR + U.S. state laws), IP ownership, and governance for emerging technologies. Previously I led the commercial legal team at Exabeam, where I drove major efficiency gains: reducing outside counsel spend by 71%, implementing a cross-functional deal desk, and standing up corporate governance programs and IP management structures. I thrive in high-growth environments where clarity, scalable systems, and practical judgment unlock revenue and accelerate product momentum. I partner closely with executives, sales, engineering, and product teams to solve hard problems with business-aligned solutions.
→ Founding legal hire, building and owning the in-house legal function first as a one-lawyer department, then as department lead → Designing and managing legal infrastructure, contracting workflows, templates, playbooks, and clause libraries to support complex, high-velocity enterprise SaaS deals. → Overseeing legal risk and advising leadership on AI model licensing, data use, IP ownership, privacy, and compliance (GDPR, U.S. state privacy laws, and the EU AI Act.) → Developing and iterating on policies for data protection, IP/open source governance, vendor risk, and contractual terms for emerging AI/ML features. → Educating sales, product, and engineering teams on risk awareness through training and resources to elevate contract risk literacy across the organization.
→ Led commercial legal function supporting enterprise cybersecurity SaaS business → Managed team of attorneys and contracts managers while maintaining 1.4% legal expense-to-revenue ratio → Reduced outside counsel spend 71% by building in-house capabilities for M&A, corporate governance, and IP management → Established cross-functional deal desk improving deal velocity and consistency → Developed contract templates, playbooks, and negotiation strategies for enterprise SaaS licensing → Built corporate governance program including board management, equity administration, and compliance → Led IP strategy including patent portfolio management and open source governance →Managed legal aspects of major reduction in force under WARN Act
→ Served as primary commercial counsel for enterprise software negotiations → Supported executive team and board on strategic initiatives and governance → Developed legal department operations and processes during company growth phase → Managed vendor relationships and technology partnerships
→ Negotiated SaaS licensing, confidentiality, distribution, and partnership agreements → Supported product launches with privacy and data protection review → Collaborated with sales, engineering, and product teams on commercial transactions
Sole in-house counsel (acquired by KAR Auction Services) → Supported executive, product, sales, engineering, marketing, and HR teams on governance, risk, compliance, and IP matters → Drafted and negotiated SaaS licensing, confidentiality, distribution, services, and vendor agreements → Created legal templates and policies for independent contractors and employment matters → Introduced affiliate program framework and managed subsidiary formation across nine states
Built foundational legal and compliance infrastructure for early-stage mobility tech startup. → Established legal operations and contract management processes from scratch → Managed regulatory compliance for multi-state on-demand service operations → Supported fundraising activities and investor relations with legal documentation → Developed policies and procedures for risk management and data protection → Collaborated with executives on business strategy and market expansion