At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.
As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.
We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.
If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.
The Role:
As the Assistant General Counsel, Product & Regulatory Legal you will play a key role in providing legal guidance in supporting Upstart’s product and marketing initiatives, as well as in developing new products and features to serve the personal loan, open line of credit, small dollar loan and auto refinance market.
How you’ll make an impact:
Strategic Legal Leadership & Team Management
- Lead and develop a team of attorneys and legal professionals within the Product & Regulatory Legal Team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and professional growth
- Serve as the primary legal advisor for origination-related matters, guiding the product and marketing teams through complex legal and regulatory considerations
- Act as a key escalation point for the legal team, ensuring issues are efficiently triaged and resolved, and provide timely, business-oriented recommendations
Product & Regulatory Counsel
- Provide strategic legal counsel on product development, marketing, and customer onboarding for personal loan, small dollar loan, open line of credit, and auto refinance products offered through Upstart’s bank partnership platform
- Conduct and oversee legal research and analysis on federal and state consumer finance laws, developing practical requirements documentation and compliant marketing and origination frameworks
- Monitor industry trends, regulatory changes, and enforcement developments to proactively advise business leaders on risk and opportunity areas
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Partner with Product, Growth, Risk, and Compliance to design compliant and customer-friendly financial products and online experiences
- Collaborate across legal teams—including lawyers supporting Privacy, Fair Lending, Capital Markets, and Commercial areas—to support enterprise-wide initiatives
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with internal stakeholders, influencing product and marketing strategies with sound, business-oriented legal guidance
Legal Risk Identification and Management
- Advise on disputes and issues escalated from the Compliance team, particularly those related to marketing or loan origination practices
- Identify and communicate key legal risks to business partners; ability to distill complex legal matters and risks for senior leadership in a clear and actionable manner, synthesizing complex concepts into concise recommendations
Minimum Qualifications
- J.D. degree with superior academic credentials and a state bar membership;
- At least 10+ years of experience in a top-tier law firm, government, in-house legal department, and/or fintech/startup experience with at least 5 years focused on in marketing and consumer loan origination;
- In-depth knowledge of federal and state open and closed end consumer lending and consumer protection laws, including FCRA, TILA, ECOA, GLBA, UDAAP, EFTA, ESIGN, FDCPA, bankruptcy, AML/BSA, and servicing/debt collection laws;
- Experience with marketing, bank partnership programs, personal loans, small dollar lending, auto refinance loans, and open lines of credits; and
- Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to effectively and proactively provide quick, concise, and practical legal advice involving competing interests.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with use of AI in providing solid legal advice and developing team efficiencies
- Experience with loan servicing and debt collection, data privacy and security, and auto retail lending/retail installment sales contracts;
- Vendor management and vendor contract negotiation experience; and
- State licensing and exam experience.
Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote, San Mateo, CA, and Columbus, OH
Time zone requirements The team operates on the East/West coast time zones.
Travel requirements As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.
What you'll love:
- Competitive Compensation (base + bonus & equity)
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart
- 401(k) with 100% company match up to $4,500 and immediate vesting and after-tax savings
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
- Life and disability insurance
- Generous holiday, vacation, sick and safety leave
- Supportive parental, family care, and military leave programs
- Annual wellness, technology & ergonomic reimbursement programs
- Social activities including team events and onsites, all-company updates, employee resource groups (ERGs), and other interest groups such as book clubs, fitness, investing, and volunteering
- Catered lunches + snacks & drinks when working in offices
#LI-REMOTE
#LI-Director --> use for L7
#LI-Executive --> use for L8+
At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).
Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.
If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email [email protected]
https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy
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