About the role
At Fonio, a rapidly growing European leader in AI phone agents for small and medium businesses, the legal counsel role is integral to supporting the company's expansion and operational needs. The legal team is hands-on and embedded within the core operations, focusing on building foundational legal frameworks and providing practical, timely advice across various domains including contracts, data protection, and corporate compliance. The company values fast decision-making and direct communication in a dynamic environment based in Vienna.
The legal counsel will handle a broad range of responsibilities such as managing disputes and litigation strategies, protecting intellectual property, coordinating with external law firms internationally, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR. This role requires close collaboration with sales, engineering, and operations teams to address diverse legal questions efficiently. The position demands a proactive approach to establishing legal processes and templates from the ground up, emphasizing practical solutions over managerial oversight of outside counsel.
Candidates should be qualified lawyers from Austria or Germany with 4 to 8 years of experience, including a combination of top law firm training and in-house experience at a tech or SaaS company. Strong expertise in commercial contracts and GDPR is essential, along with fluency in English. Experience with AI, telecoms, voice products, venture funding, or international corporate law is advantageous. The role is full-time onsite in Vienna, offering competitive compensation, equity, relocation support, and a collaborative team culture.