Product Counsel for EMEA Region

About Whatnot

Whatnot is a leading live shopping platform in North America and Europe, facilitating buying, selling, and discovery across a diverse range of categories such as trading cards, fashion, electronics, and live plants. The platform supports sellers in building thriving businesses globally as it pioneers live commerce at an unprecedented scale in Western markets. Our team is distributed across hubs in the US, UK, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Australia, working at a fast pace with a strong user-centric focus. Recently, Whatnot was recognized as the #1 Best Startup Employer in America by Forbes.

Role Overview

We are seeking a senior legal professional specializing in product law, privacy, and international regulations to support Whatnot's expanding European and global operations. This pivotal role involves providing comprehensive legal counsel on product development and compliance within a dynamic, fast-moving environment. You will partner with regional and subject matter legal experts to standardize legal feedback globally and establish scalable legal frameworks to support growth without causing bottlenecks.

Key Responsibilities

• Offer daily legal counsel on product development spanning the UK, EU, and emerging markets, advising through the full product lifecycle from inception to post-launch.
• Lead global compliance reviews of new products and features, ensuring adherence to digital, consumer protection, and platform regulations before deployment.
• Provide specialized advice related to the Digital Services Act (DSA), UK Online Safety Act, GDPR/UK GDPR, e-commerce regulations, consumer protection laws, platform liability, and AI-related legal obligations.
• Collaborate with regional counsels and legal specialists to unify legal input for product teams and maintain a cohesive international legal stance.
• Support the drafting and refinement of international terms of service, community guidelines, and seller frameworks.
• Create scalable legal playbooks, streamline review processes, and develop self-service tools that empower the product team to operate swiftly and confidently.
• Act as privacy legal counsel focusing on product privacy for international markets, ensuring compliance with privacy-by-design principles and data protection laws throughout product lifecycle.
• Conduct reviews for GDPR, UK GDPR, and ePrivacy compliance including legal basis analysis, transparency, data subject rights, and Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs).
• Monitor evolving data protection regulations across the EU, UK, and other key markets, briefing stakeholders on the practical effects.
• Collaborate closely with privacy counsel to coordinate privacy compliance strategies across product initiatives.
• Draft and maintain internal and external privacy policies and standards relevant to international product and seller ecosystems.
• Stay abreast of global regulatory changes, such as the EU AI Act, Digital Markets Act (DMA), and other emerging frameworks, advising business impact on product strategies.
• Lead legal support for international market entry efforts, liaising with local counsel and consolidating global legal approaches.
• Engage proactively with regulators and contribute to regulatory responses alongside policy and government relations teams.
• Work in coordination with cross-functional legal teams including trust & safety, employment, and privacy to ensure unified compliance processes internationally.
• Contribute to legal operations including objectives, key results (OKRs), and scaling legal processes, tools, and documentation.

Candidate Profile

• Minimum 8 years of legal experience.
• Licensed to practice law in the US, UK, or an EU jurisdiction with hands-on experience advising on product and technology law; in-house experience preferred.
• Based in Dublin or London with proximity to work hubs for occasional in-person collaboration.
• Extensive in-house experience navigating legal challenges in high-growth technology firms, startups, or marketplaces.
• Expert knowledge of UK and EU digital regulations including DSA, GDPR/UK GDPR, e-commerce, consumer protection, platform liability, and the EU AI Act.
• Proven track record leading cross-jurisdictional legal product reviews and delivering clear, actionable legal advice to non-legal teams.
• Strong expertise in privacy and data protection, managing compliance with GDPR, UK GDPR, ePrivacy, and DPIAs on consumer-facing products.
• Business-savvy with strong judgment, prioritizing feasible solutions aligned with company goals.
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently within a lean team environment, adaptable to ambiguity and rapid change.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-growth startups or scale-ups expanding internationally, especially across Europe.
• Background in marketplace, fintech, live commerce, or consumer platform legal work.
• Interactions with EU or UK regulators and data protection authorities concerning product compliance.
• Familiarity with complex stakeholder environments and matrixed organizational structures.
• Insight into AI legal concerns, including EU AI Act and generative AI governance.
• Knowledge of payments regulation and financial promotions related to consumer product features.

Compensation and Benefits

Competitive base salary between €173,000 and €235,000, complemented by benefits and equity options for UK and Ireland-based candidates. Final salary placement depends on level, prior experience, and skills.

• Generous paid time off and holiday policy.
• Health insurance plans covering medical, dental, and vision.
• Support for remote work including home office setup allowance and internet/cell phone stipends.
• Care benefits including childcare and family planning support such as adoption or fertility expenses.
• Retirement plans including 401k with employer match (US) and pension schemes internationally.
• Monthly allowance to engage with the app for product familiarity.
• Paid parental leave totaling 16 weeks with additional 1-month phased return.

Additional Information

We maintain strict communication protocols and will only reach out through official @whatnot.com addresses. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and foster a diverse and inclusive workplace, without discrimination based on protected characteristics.