Senior Litigation Counsel

Discord
San Francisco, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for in-house legal professionals with government enforcement experience who can balance litigation risk with business needs and operate independently in a fast-moving tech environment.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with in-house experience at tech platforms and a background in government enforcement cases
    — “10+ years combined experience at a well-respected law firm and in-house legal department (tech preferred)”
  • Individuals who can manage complex litigation and coordinate with external counsel effectively
    — “Experience leading complex litigation through dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, and appeals, and directing multiple outside counsel teams at once”

Things to consider

  • The role requires managing high-stakes workstreams and prioritizing effectively under pressure.
    — “Ability to manage multiple high-stakes workstreams simultaneously, prioritize effectively”
  • Candidates must be prepared to contribute across areas beyond their core focus when needed.
    — “Serve as a versatile member of a lean litigation team, willing to pitch in on matters outside core areas of focus”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience managing state attorney general investigations and settlements.
    — “Defend Discord in state attorney general lawsuits and investigations as part of your portfolio”
  • Emphasize your ability to collaborate with product and safety teams on legal resolutions.
    — “Partnering with Product and Safety teams to assess the feasibility of proposed commitments”
  • Demonstrate your ability to manage outside counsel and coordinate cross-functional teams.
    — “Directing multiple outside counsel teams at once”
  • Showcase your understanding of internet platform liability and privacy law.
    — “Working knowledge of internet platform liability, including CDA 230 and the First Amendment”
  • Tailor your communication skills to explain legal matters to engineers, executives, and regulators.
    — “Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to tailor the message to the audience”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Company

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • Successfully defended Discord in state attorney general lawsuits and investigations
Typical background
10+ years of experience in litigation and in-house legal departments

Skills & requirements

Required

LitigationGovernment EnforcementComplex LitigationOutside Counsel ManagementLegal StrategyRegulatory ComplianceLegal Research

Preferred

Internet Platform LiabilityMinor Safety And Privacy Law

Stack & domain

LitigationLegal StrategyDispositive MotionsInjunction ProceedingsAppealsVenue And Coordination QuestionsSettlement AnalysesAuthorization RecommendationsNegotiationDiscoveryProductionsProtective OrdersCustodial InterviewsData CollectionEdiscoveryLegal IssuesCommercial Sensible MindsetInternet Platform LiabilityCDA 230First AmendmentMinor SafetyPrivacyConsumer Protection LawLegal CommunicationEngineering CommunicationExecutive CommunicationOutside CounselGovernment OfficialsLegal FrameworksTrackersPlaybooksLegal PrioritiesLegal ComplianceLegal Risk Management

About the role

Original posting from Discord via Greenhouse

Discord has a highly engaged community of millions of daily active users who use the platform for many different reasons, but there’s one thing that nearly everyone does: play video games. Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming, and we are focused on making it easier and more fun for people to hang out before, during, and after playing games.

Discord is looking for an experienced Senior Litigation Counsel to join Discord's Legal team. Reporting to the Director, Global Litigation, you'll join a lean team where every team member carries real responsibility from day one. We're looking for a seasoned litigator who can operate independently on complex, high-stakes matters, with the judgment to set strategy, the credibility to engage with courts, regulators, and opposing counsel, and the practical sense to find resolutions that work for the business. You'll manage a diverse portfolio that includes state attorney general lawsuits and investigations, all while working closely with cross-functional partners to protect Discord's platform and users.

What you'll be doing

Defend Discord in state attorney general lawsuits and investigations as part of your portfolio, including responding to civil investigative demands and subpoenas.

Develop case strategy and supervise outside counsel on dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, appeals, and venue and coordination questions, while managing budgets and staffing.

Drive resolution efforts, including preparing settlement analyses and authorization recommendations, negotiating settlement terms, and partnering with Product and Safety teams to assess the feasibility of proposed commitments.

Oversee discovery on major matters, including productions, protective orders, custodial interviews, and data collection with Data Science and Engineering, in close coordination with eDiscovery and paralegal colleagues.

Monitor new and changing laws, including state online safety, privacy, and platform design laws; anticipate evolving litigation risk.

Partner closely with Product, Public Policy, Trust & Safety, and Communications, including on engagement with regulators and government officials.

Keep Legal leadership and executives informed through clear status updates and decision memos, and help build the frameworks, trackers, and playbooks that let the team scale

Serve as a versatile member of a lean litigation team, willing to pitch in on matters outside core areas of focus when priorities shift or volume requires it

What you should have

J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

10+ years combined experience at a well-respected law firm and in-house legal department (tech preferred)

Hands-on experience leading on government enforcement matters, such as state attorney general actions or investigations

Experience leading complex litigation through dispositive motions, injunction proceedings, and appeals, and directing multiple outside counsel teams at once

Working knowledge of internet platform liability, including CDA 230 and the First Amendment, and of minor safety, privacy, and consumer protection law

Ability to navigate legal issues with a practical and commercially sensible mindset, balancing litigation risk against business and product realities

Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to tailor the message to the audience, whether engineers, executives, outside counsel, or government officials

Ability to manage multiple high-stakes workstreams simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and consistently deliver results

Nice to Have

You are familiar with Discord and the video game and/or online communication industry

In-house experience at a consumer-facing technology platform

Experience with regulatory, platform safety, minor safety, privacy, consumer protection matters, internet platform liability (including CDA 230), and multi-district litigations (and/or state coordinated proceedings).

Familiarity with patent litigation

Background in gaming, social media, or communications technologies

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $304,000 to $380,000 + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include equity, or benefits.

Why Discord? 

Discord plays a uniquely important role in the future of gaming. We're a multiplatform, multigenerational and multiplayer platform that helps people deepen their friendships around games and shared interests, and helps developers build and grow their businesses. We believe games give us a way to have fun with our favorite people, whether listening to music together or grinding in competitive matches for diamond rank. Join us in our mission! Your future is just a click away!

Discord is committed to inclusion and providing reasonable accommodations during the interview process. We want you to feel set up for success, so if you are in need of reasonable accommodations, please let your recruiter know.

Please see our Applicant and Candidate Privacy Policy for details regarding Discord’s collection and usage of personal information relating to the application and recruitment process by clicking HERE.

Source: Discord careers (Greenhouse)

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