Vice President of Legal / General Counsel

VP Legal / General Counsel

Serena & Lily is seeking an experienced, thoughtful Vice President of Legal / General Counsel to lead the company's legal function and serve as a trusted partner to our executive team. This role is ideal for someone with both law firm and in-house experience who enjoys being close to the business and helping teams move forward thoughtfully and efficiently.

As the Head of Legal, you will oversee all legal needs across the company-from contracts and compliance to employment matters, intellectual property, and board support-while bringing sound judgment, warmth, and a practical mindset to a growing, design-driven consumer brand. This role is an opportunity to shape how legal supports and enables Serena & Lily-protecting the brand, supporting our people, and helping the business grow with confidence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Be a business partner

• Help train and educate business partners on legal considerations, processes, and risk awareness, and establish best practices that enable teams to operate efficiently and responsibly.
• Serve as a day-to-day legal advisor to leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Help the business move quickly and responsibly by offering clear, practical guidance.
• Own contracts and commercial matters
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements, including vendor and supplier contracts, retail agreements, marketing and influencer agreements, technology agreements, and retail store leases.
• Build and maintain scalable contract templates and processes.
• Direct outside counsel and manage contractual and legal obligations with outside parties thoughtfully and cost-effectively

Support people and culture

• Advise on employment and HR matters, including policies, employee relations, investigations, and disputes.
• Partner closely with HR to manage risk while supporting a healthy workplace.
• Oversee disputes across employment, IP, commercial, and consumer matters.

Protect the brand

• Protect Serena & Lily's brand and creative assets, including trademarks and copyrights covering signature designs, patterns, and original content, and oversee enforcement efforts such as cease-and-desist actions.
• Review and clear marketing materials, promotions, sweepstakes, contests, and influencer programs to ensure compliance with FTC advertising and endorsement regulations.
• Lead privacy compliance efforts, including maintaining and updating privacy policies in line with evolving U.S. privacy laws.
• Advise on product compliance and regulatory matters, including PFAS-related regulations, Proposition 65, testing standards, labeling, and consumer protection requirements.
• Review and clear marketing materials, promotions, sweepstakes, and contests, ensuring compliance with applicable state, federal, and FTC regulations, including influencer and endorsement rules.
• Review and clear marketing materials, promotions, sweepstakes, and contests, ensuring compliance with applicable state, federal, and FTC regulations.
• Advise on FTC advertising and influencer rules, including endorsements, disclosures, and UGC usage.
• Monitor and maintain current knowledge of industry trends in legal and compliance matters, especially in retail.
• Guide privacy and data protection compliance.
• Support broader compliance efforts and internal policies.

Support leadership and the Board

• Support company initiatives related to ESG, sustainability, and social responsibility, including legal review and guidance on related policies, disclosures, and practices.
• Advise on charitable partnerships, cause-related marketing, and other philanthropic or co-branded initiatives, ensuring appropriate structure and regulatory compliance.
• Provide legal support for corporate governance and board matters.
• Assist with strategic initiatives and special projects as the company grows.

REQUIREMENTS:

• J.D. and active bar membership.
• Approximately 8-15+ years of experience, including both law firm and in-house roles.
• Broad generalist background with strength in contracts, employment, IP, and consumer-facing legal issues.
• Be familiar with trademark and intellectual property law relevant to merchandise and consumer goods.
• Strong judgment, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.
• Comfortable operating in a lean, fast-moving environment

COMPENSATION:

• $250k-$300k per year is the anticipated starting base pay for this role. This range represents the low and high end of the anticipated base salary range for this role. The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: experience, education, and skills.
• Employees (and their families) are covered by medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance should they choose to participate in Serena & Lily's benefits. Employees can enroll in our company's 401k plan. During the first year of employment, full-time employees accrue twenty-one days of PTO and seven paid holidays throughout the year.

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