Legal Counsel - Central Europe
Qonto · Paris, Île-de-France, France
- On site
- Full-time
- €80,000 / year
- Paris, Île-de-France, France
Job highlights
- Provide legal support for Central Europe.
- Focus on Netherlands legal matters.
- Handle commercial contracts and product compliance.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with stakeholders.
- Work in a fast-paced tech environment.
About the role
About Qonto & Our Mission
Qonto is building Europe's leading finance workspace, centered around banking and augmented by financial tools, to empower SMEs. We are proud of our 4.8 Trustpilot rating from over 55,000 reviews and a Net Promoter Score of 75, reflecting our deep commitment to customer satisfaction.
Our Journey and Culture
Founded in 2017, Qonto has rapidly grown to serve over 600,000 customers across 8 European countries, achieving profitability in 2023. We foster a diverse and inclusive culture, hiring based on skills and potential, with 80+ nationalities represented and a strong commitment to a discrimination-free hiring process.
AI at Qonto
Artificial Intelligence is integral to our operations. Every Qontoer has unlimited access to AI tools, encouraging experimentation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
The Role: Legal Counsel - Central Europe
Join Qonto as a Legal Counsel for Central Europe to provide robust legal support across our fast-growing markets (Netherlands, Germany, Austria), with a primary focus on the Netherlands. You will play a crucial role in de-risking operations and enabling local market growth and partnerships.
Responsibilities:
- Netherlands Legal Scope: Serve as the main local legal contact, ensuring high-quality, timely support for the Dutch teams.
- German and Austrian Market Support: Collaborate with the Senior Legal Expert on strategic legal matters to ensure business continuity in these central markets.
- Commercial and Product Matters: Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts; ensure legal compliance of new local products; manage local disputes and corporate formalities.
- Pragmatic Legal Guidance: Provide clear legal analyses for future local developments and safely enable business initiatives.
- Dispute Management: Handle pre-litigation and litigation matters to protect Qonto's interests.
What to Expect:
- Transversal Scope: Exposure to multiple fast-growing markets and diverse legal topics, avoiding siloing.
- Autonomy with Support: Own your region with day-to-day guidance from an experienced senior peer.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with stakeholders in Financial Crime, Operations, and Partnerships.
- Continuous Improvement: Be part of a culture of continuous learning and growth, inspired by Lean management (The Qonto Way).
About Your Future Managers:
You will work alongside Sergej, Legal Counsel Expert, and report to Ghislain, Head of Legal - Litigation, Commercial & International. Ghislain brings extensive international experience, having worked in law in France and Germany, and prior roles at Hogan Lovells and Signature Litigation. Since joining Qonto in 2021, he has grown into his current leadership role, offering deep expertise in EU regulations, international litigation, and compliance.
About You:
- Experience: Minimum 2 years as a generalist in-house legal counsel, preferably in tech/scale-up or corporate settings.
- Commercial Expertise: Proven experience negotiating commercial contracts and managing local corporate formalities. Banking or payments law experience is a plus.
- Languages: Professional proficiency in Dutch (C2) and English (C1). Fluent German is a significant advantage.
- Problem Solver: Ability to provide pragmatic, actionable legal advice in a fast-paced environment.
- Autonomy & Prioritization: Skilled in managing multiple requests, communicating effectively, and escalating appropriately.
We value diversity and encourage applications from all candidates. Our hiring process typically lasts 20 working days.
Key skills/competency
- Legal Counsel
- Central Europe
- Netherlands Law
- Commercial Contracts
- Corporate Formalities
- Dispute Management
- Legal Compliance
- Risk Management
- Tech Law
- Scale-up Environment
Skills & topics
- Legal Counsel
- Central Europe
- Netherlands Law
- Commercial Contracts
- Corporate Law
- Legal Compliance
- Dispute Resolution
- Scale-up
- Tech Legal
- European Law
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your 2+ years of in-house legal experience, focusing on commercial contracts and corporate formalities, ideally within tech or scale-ups.
- Showcase language skills: Emphasize your professional Dutch (C2) and English (C1) proficiency, noting any German fluency.
- Demonstrate problem-solving: Provide examples of delivering pragmatic legal advice in fast-moving environments.
- Highlight autonomy: Illustrate your ability to manage multiple requests and prioritize effectively.
- Research Qonto's culture: Understand their mission, customer focus, and AI integration to align your application.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What are the primary responsibilities of the Legal Counsel for Central Europe at Qonto?
- The Legal Counsel for Central Europe at Qonto will primarily be responsible for providing day-to-day legal support across the Netherlands, Germany, and Austria, with a dedicated focus on the Netherlands. This includes handling commercial contracts, ensuring legal compliance for new products, managing disputes, and providing pragmatic legal guidance to de-risk operations and enable market growth.
- What specific legal expertise is Qonto looking for in a Legal Counsel for Central Europe?
- Qonto is seeking a Legal Counsel with at least 2 years of experience as a generalist in-house counsel, preferably in a tech/scale-up environment. Key expertise includes negotiating commercial contracts, managing local corporate formalities, and providing pragmatic advice. Exposure to banking or payments law is a plus.
- What language skills are required for the Legal Counsel - Central Europe role at Qonto?
- The role requires professional proficiency in Dutch (minimum C2 level) and English (minimum C1 level). Fluent German is considered a significant advantage for this position.
- How does Qonto support its Legal Counsel in Central Europe?
- Qonto offers autonomy in managing regional responsibilities while providing senior support from an experienced peer and the Head of Legal. This ensures guidance on complex challenges and fosters cross-functional collaboration with various internal teams.
- What is the typical hiring process duration at Qonto?
- Qonto's hiring process generally lasts around 20 working days. Candidates can find more detailed information on the candidate journey on their website.
- Does Qonto have specific requirements regarding legal experience in the tech or scale-up industry?
- While not strictly mandatory, Qonto ideally prefers candidates with in-house legal counsel experience within a tech or scale-up environment, or a broader corporate setting. The emphasis is on relevant skills and potential.
- How is AI integrated into the work at Qonto, and how might it affect this Legal Counsel role?
- AI is deeply embedded in Qonto's operations, with all employees having access to advanced AI tools. This encourages experimentation and innovation. For the Legal Counsel role, AI can potentially assist in drafting, research, and analyzing legal documents, streamlining workflows and supporting pragmatic advice delivery.
- What does Qonto's culture emphasize for its employees, particularly in legal roles?
- Qonto's culture prioritizes customer satisfaction, diversity, and continuous learning (The Qonto Way). They encourage experimentation, collaboration, and provide a supportive environment where employees can grow and take ownership of their work.