In-House Counsel

About the Company

DMSI is retained by a diversified private holding founded in 2024 and headquartered in New York City, operating across energy, commodity trading, defense and security, and capital markets. The enterprise is in aggressive growth mode, actively acquiring assets and launching new business lines across multiple states and jurisdictions. The company is led by a seasoned executive team with backgrounds spanning finance, federal government, energy, and technology. The culture is fast-paced, lean, and execution-driven. This is a high-autonomy environment where every team member wears multiple hats and moves with speed and conviction.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a business-minded Legal Counsel to serve as the lead legal advisor to executive leadership and take ownership of the company’s legal function. This is a high-impact role for a lawyer who is comfortable operating broadly across commercial contracts, compliance, corporate matters, risk management, and cross-border transactions.

The ideal candidate will be practical, responsive, and able to work closely with senior leadership in a dynamic environment where legal support must be both strategic and hands-on.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Corporate Governance & Entity Management

• Support governance and legal entity management across a multi-entity structure operating in multiple U.S. states and international jurisdictions
• Assist with entity formation, maintenance, and related corporate records as the business evolves
• Draft and review operating agreements, corporate resolutions, board materials, and other governance documentation

Commercial Contracting

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements across the Company’s business lines
• Support vendor, partnership, referral, services, transaction-related, and other operating agreements
• Identify legal and commercial risk in proposed deal structures and recommend practical solutions aligned with business objectives
• Coordinate with outside counsel on specialized finance, securities, or transaction documentation as needed

Risk Management & Dispute Coordination

• Support pre-dispute strategy, claims management, and coordination with outside counsel on disputes, arbitration, and other contentious matters
• Help develop practical legal risk management, contract tracking, and documentation protocols
• Manage relationships with outside counsel across litigation, regulatory, and transactional matters

Regulatory / Securities Exposure (Preferred)

• Familiarity with private placement structures, exemptions, and related offering documentation is a plus
• Ability to identify issues and coordinate effectively with specialist outside counsel on securities, commodities, and related regulatory matters
• Exposure to AML/KYC frameworks or regulated onboarding environments is helpful

Strategic Business Support

• Provide legal support for new business launches, asset acquisitions, and other growth initiatives
• Support trademark, brand protection, and related matters in coordination with outside counsel where needed
• Serve as a practical business partner to leadership, balancing legal judgment with commercial realities

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing
• Florida bar strongly preferred
• 8 years of legal experience, including meaningful experience in-house and/or in a law firm supporting commercial, corporate, transactional, or regulated business matters
• Strong hands-on experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements
• Experience supporting corporate governance, entity management, and general business legal matters across multiple jurisdictions
• Sound business judgment and the ability to operate independently in a lean, fast-paced environment
• Experience in one or more relevant sectors such as financial services, energy, commodity trading, industrials, transportation, or other regulated operating businesses

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience as a first or early legal hire inside a growth-stage company
• Familiarity with securities law concepts, including private placements and Reg D / Reg S structures
• Exposure to cross-border transactions or multi-jurisdictional operating structures
• Exposure to trade finance, commodity-related transactions, or upstream/downstream energy matters
• Experience managing outside counsel across multiple legal disciplines

Character & Culture Fit

• Comfortable making decisions independently and working through problems without heavy infrastructure or established process
• Builds structure where none exists rather than waiting for direction
• Direct communicator who gets to the point; the executive team operates the same way
• Holds high standards on substance and documentation while keeping pace with a fast-moving business