Product Counsel - PEO/Employment Law

Denver, CO;San Francisco, CA;New York, NY About Gusto At Gusto, we're on a mission to grow the small business economy. We handle the hard stuff—like payroll, health insurance, 401(k)s, and HR—so owners can focus on their craft and customers. With teams in Denver, San Francisco, and New York, we’re proud to support more than 400,000 small businesses across the country, and we’re building a workplace that represents and celebrates the customers we serve. Learn more about our About the Role: We are seeking a creative, experienced attorney who wants to apply their deep expertise in employment law (and co-employment issues) to help shape tech-forward products and services for small businesses. This is a unique opportunity to help build Gusto's Professional Employer Organization (PEO) offerings and drive Legal & Compliance cross-functional workstreams for one of Gusto's most strategic new business lines. In this role, you will move fluidly between providing front-line advice on Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Human Resource, and co-employment issues, and partnering with colleagues to ensure delivery of advice and counsel across all Legal & Compliance-related workstreams. You will be a key collaborator and primary point of contact for the PEO business teams. Success in this role will require an ownership mindset, experience driving major product launches, and a focus on curiosity, collaboration, flexibility, and a good sense of humor. Attorneys are expected to use AI tools to accelerate research and processes, synthesize insights, and refine positioning and content with speed and precision, while maintaining accuracy and consistency with legal best practices. About the Team: Gusto’s Legal & Compliance team partners with product and engineering teams to enable innovation, facilitate responsible company growth, accelerate the Gusto roadmap, and provide compliant products to our customers through solution-focused counsel on legal and business risks. We are passionate about using groundbreaking technology and excellent service to elevate the experience of small business owners and their employees. Each team member takes real ownership of their work and makes a meaningful impact every day. Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

• Provide front-line legal support to PEO product and operations teams.
• Drive legal and compliance workstreams and cross-functional collaboration for pre-launch milestones, compliance frameworks, vendor onboarding, and Go-to-Market readiness.
• Advise on risk, product design, features, and operational workflows; address compliance with employment, payroll, HR, licensing, and other requirements relevant to the PEO offering.
• Develop actionable guidance, templates, and internal training for PEO-related products.
• Partner cross-functionally and build consensus with Legal and Compliance, Product, Finance, and Operations teams.
• Create and maintain PEO-related compliance work-product to support internal compliance tracking and content creation processes.

Here’s what we're looking for:

• 7+ years of legal experience including in-house experience at a technology company. Experience must include employment law litigation product counseling. Strong preference for PEO experience but open to exceptional candidates without it if they can quickly acquire expertise.
• Deep experience providing pragmatic legal guidance on tech products employment obligations.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus strong working relationships.
• A collaborative solution-oriented mindset focused on progress teamwork (no job too big or too small).
• Eagerness to dive in take ownership projects manage work accountability ensuring appropriate visibility smooth escalation senior counsel or decision-makers.
• Experience using AI tools deliver efficiency individual work essential components processes develop improve.
• JD degree membership State bar current license practice law.

Our cash compensation amount role between $177000 - $208000/year Denver $208000 - $245000/year New York/San Francisco. Final offer amounts determined multiple factors including candidate location experience expertise vary amounts listed above. Compensation includes equity package performance bonuses. Gusto has physical office spaces Denver San Francisco New York City. Employees based those locations expected work office designated days approximately 2-3 days per week (or more depending role). Same office expectations apply Symmetry roles Gusto's subsidiary physical office Scottsdale. Note San Francisco office expectations encompass both San Francisco San Jose metro areas. When approved work location other than Gusto office secure reliable consistent internet connection required including non-office days hybrid employees. Our customers come from all walks life so do we hire great people wide variety backgrounds not just because right thing do but because makes company stronger If share values enthusiasm small businesses find home Gusto.