Chief Legal Officer
On-siteChandler, Arizona, United States
Job Summary
Lead all legal aspects of equity and debt financing, manage the data room, and interface with external counsel to close complex funding rounds. Act as Corporate Secretary to ensure flawless governance, fiduciary compliance, and board communication. Aggressively manage and defend a 60-year legacy of aerospace patents while securing new IP for proprietary avionics and future-flight technologies. Draft and negotiate high-value Aircraft Purchase Agreements and Master Supply Agreements with global OEMs. Oversee the legal framework for Type and Production Certification, manage product liability for the existing fleet, and ensure operations adhere to FAA Part 21 and Part 23 standards. Serve as a primary advisor to the CEO and Board, translating legal complexities into actionable business strategies while navigating investor relations and protecting the company's vast IP portfolio as it scales the SJ36 toward global delivery.
Required Qualifications
- 15+ years of legal practice
- significant time as a GC or Deputy GC in a high-growth startup or aerospace environment
- J.D. from an accredited law school
- active bar membership
- Proven ability to thrive in 'organized chaos,' where priorities shift rapidly and resources must be deployed creatively
- An executive yet collaborative executive presence with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels
- 100% On-Site presence at our Corporate Headquarters in Chandler, AZ
- ability to build and foster a culture of 'compliant innovation' across our engineering and production teams
- Lead all legal aspects of equity and debt financing
- Act as Corporate Secretary, ensuring flawless governance, fiduciary compliance, and board communication
- Aggressively manage and defend a 60-year legacy of aerospace patents while securing new IP
- Draft and negotiate high-value Aircraft Purchase Agreements (APAs) and Master Supply Agreements with global OEMs
- Oversee the legal framework for Type Certification (TC) and Production Certification (PC)
- Manage product liability for the existing SJ30 fleet
- ensure all operations adhere to FAA Part 21 and Part 23 standards
- manage sensitive relationships with ultra-high-net-worth customers, Tier-1 aerospace suppliers, and federal regulators
- navigate complex investor relations
- protect our vast IP portfolio
- serve as a key advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors
- translate legal complexities into actionable business strategies
- anticipate market shifts and regulatory hurdles before they impact on our trajectory
- possess the mental 'gear-shift' required to pivot between a Series B funding round and a legacy aircraft liability issue within the same hour
Desired Qualifications
- venture & growth capital experience
- Board Governance experience
- Intellectual Property Strategy experience
- Commercial Contracts experience
- FAA/Global Liaison experience
- Risk Mitigation experience
- equity participation
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.