General Counsel (Los Angeles)

Please note: While multiple job postings may appear, this is for one open hire need. Candidate must be located in either New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, or Miami.

Who We Are

Museum of Ice Cream is an inclusive & immersive brand, designed to captivate your sweetest fantasy and sugar-filled daydreams online and IRL. At Museum of Ice Cream, we invite you to believe in the magic of creativity, to remind you that inclusive spaces do exist, and to show you that childlike wonder is worth savoring. In our world, ice cream is the agent of change and the vehicle to ignite the creative spirit that lives in all of us. Fueled by the power of imagination, MOIC is a universe of possibilities with tons of room for you to explore.

Executive Summary

The General Counsel will serve as MOIC's senior legal leader and trusted advisor to executive leadership and the Board of Directors. As the company's first in-house legal hire, this role will build and oversee a scalable legal function that supports MOIC's growth, multi-site operations, brand protection, commercial strategy, and employee-facing risk.

This leader will be responsible for building a systems-driven legal infrastructure that matches business velocity with tech-enabled workflows and automated contract lifecycles while ensuring proper controls and data-driven risk assessment.

The General Counsel will be a key member of the leadership team, directly influencing portfolio expansion, commercial strategy, and guest experience.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Risk & Governance

Oversee a global portfolio of trademarks and trade dress, protecting our proprietary environmental designs and brand equity. Lead legal strategy for guest safety, F&B compliance, data privacy (GDPR / CCPA / CPRA), and employment / workforce compliance across markets. Provide oversight for complex commercial leases and construction agreements as we expand into new markets. Manage board governance, equity / cap table administration, and support future fundraising or strategic M&A activities. Establish lightweight guardrails for how MOIC adopts AI — covering employee data, hiring, privacy, and vendor tools — so the business can move fast without creating downstream risk. Operationalize a recurring cadence to review and refresh policies, templates, controls, and compliance practices as the company scales into new markets.

Legal Operations & Technology

Implement contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools (e.g., Ironclad, Juro) and automation workflows to handle high-volume routine legal tasks. Design and own a structured intake and approval process that enables business velocity. Build a library of automated templates for recurring agreements. Audit key business cycles (lease negotiation, new museum openings, brand activations) to embed approval controls proactively.

Commercial Negotiation

Act as the lead negotiator for Tier-1 brand collaborations, licensing deals, and strategic vendor relationships. Serve as a direct partner to the CEO and executive team — delivering proactive risk-benefit analysis. Partner closely with People, Operations, Finance, Marketing, and IT/Data so legal guidance is embedded into decisions early.

People & Employment Risk

Build the systems for employee‑relations escalations, documentation standards, and manager accountability so people issues are handled consistently across sites, not ad hoc. Own the framework for wage‑and‑hour, accommodations, leaves, pay transparency, and multi‑state employment compliance as the footprint grows. Serve as the primary legal partner to the People team on high‑risk decisions and sensitive investigations, escalating complex matters to specialized outside counsel.

Outside Counsel & Litigation

Build a disciplined model for selecting, managing, and budgeting outside counsel — with matter tracking and clear escalation criteria — so external spend is leveraged, not the default. Manage litigation, demand letters, agency charges, regulatory inquiries, and settlements — resolving matters efficiently while protecting the brand.

The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $250,000 USD, dependent on experience, as well as an annual bonus and options.

Requirements

• 8-12+ years of legal practice, with meaningful in-house experience at a consumer, hospitality, experiential, or multi‑unit retail brand. Prior law firm background is welcome — what matters is operational fluency in a physical‑footprint business
• JD from an ABA‑accredited law school; active bar membership in good standing
• Comfort with modern contract and legal management tools and a genuine interest in using technology to reduce manual legal workload. Direct implementation experience is a plus, not a requirement
• You view legal as a service function that must be optimized for its internal users

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Annual bonus
• Stock options
• PTO and sick time
• Medical, dental, vision
• Perks including Classpass, commuter discounts, employee assistance program, and, of course, unlimited ice cream
• Employee development opportunities
• 16 free museum tickets per year for friends and family, with free entry for self
• 50% off retail products
• Ability to advance within the organization. As Museum of Ice Cream scales, we anticipate the GC evolving into a broader Chief Administrative Officer mandate, encompassing corporate governance, select operational functions, and executive leadership. We are looking for someone who is clearly on that trajectory. Build it well, and the seat grows with you

Museum of Ice Cream is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.