General Counsel

Responsibilities

• Develop and own Ambiq's enterprise legal strategy — one that anticipates risk before it materializes and accelerates growth rather than constraining it.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial agreements with customers, partners, suppliers, and investors across multiple jurisdictions.
• Establish governance frameworks that meet post-IPO standards while preserving the agility that defines Ambiq's culture.
• Advise on the strategic growth and optimization of Ambiq’s global IP portfolio — including patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and licensing — to ensure semiconductor innovations are well-protected and effectively leveraged for commercial value.
• Advise on the structuring and negotiation of technology transactions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and licensing agreements to strengthen Ambiq’s competitive position.
• Assess and manage IP risks in customer contracts, supplier relationships, and competitive landscape — anticipating infringement issues before they become disputes.
• Architect and oversee a proactive compliance program covering U.S. and international regulations — including ITAR/EAR export controls, trade sanctions, data privacy (GDPR, CCPA), immigration, and labor law across Ambiq's global footprint.
• Cultivate a culture of compliance through policy development, executive education, and company-wide training that makes doing the right thing the path of least resistance.
• Identify emerging regulatory trends — particularly in semiconductor export controls, foreign investment review (CFIUS), and global trade — and shape Ambiq's posture before regulations become constraints.
• Oversee litigation strategy, regulatory matters, and disputes with a bias toward early resolution and minimum business disruption.
• Ensure full compliance with securities laws as a public company: SEC reporting, insider trading policies, Reg FD, and shareholder communications.
• Lead legal due diligence and deal structuring for M&A, strategic investments, and partnership transactions — balancing speed with rigor.
• Advisory HR leadership on legal considerations related to equity programs and executive compensation, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and broader business objectives.
• Advise on employment law issues spanning multiple jurisdictions, including global workforce compliance, executive compensation, restrictive covenants, and reductions in force.
• Partner with HR leadership to build people policies that are legally sound, competitive in the talent market, and reflective of Ambiq's values.
• Provide pragmatic, timely counsel on sensitive employee relations matters — balancing legal exposure with human judgment.
• Select, deploy, and actively manage outside counsel across specialized practices — holding firms to high standards of quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
• Direct litigation strategy with a strong preference for early identification, active management, and decisive resolution.
• Develop an outside counsel framework that scales appropriately with Ambiq's growth while maintaining control over legal spend.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school; active bar license in good standing.
• 12+ years of legal experience, with significant in-house counsel leadership at a semiconductor or high-tech company — ideally including tenure at a top-tier firm advising technology clients.
• Demonstrated expertise in corporate governance, complex commercial agreements, global IP protection, and regulatory compliance.
• Deep knowledge of semiconductor-specific legal terrain: export controls (ITAR/EAR), CFIUS, supply chain risk, and technology licensing in global markets.
• Proven ability to lead high-stakes transactions including M&A, equity financings, and cross-border partnerships.
• Strong employment law foundation with experience advising on global workforce matters and executive compensation.
• Thick skin and sound judgment — the ability to deliver difficult messages clearly, hold a position under pressure, and earn trust through honesty rather than accommodation.
• Business acumen that matches legal expertise: you understand how deals get done, what risks are acceptable, and how to advise without unnecessarily slowing the business.
• Proven leadership in building legal teams, creating processes, and scaling a function in a fast-growth environment.
• High integrity, sharp instincts, and the temperament to thrive in a fast-paced, engineering-led culture.