General Counsel

Brief Description The Opportunity Tsunami Express is building the future of express car washing — powered by people, automation, and smart technology. With 75+ locations across the Midwest and aggressive expansion ahead, we are building the infrastructure needed to support continued growth toward 100, 150, and beyond. As General Counsel, you will serve as Tsunami’s first in-house legal leader and a strategic partner to the CEO and executive team. This is an opportunity to build the legal function from the ground up while helping a rapidly growing, multi-state organization move quickly and confidently without taking on unnecessary risk. This role is designed for a business-minded legal leader who can balance sound legal judgment with the realities of a fast-moving operation. You’ll lead legal strategy across M&A, real estate, commercial contracts, employment law, litigation, regulatory compliance, consumer programs, corporate governance, and enterprise risk while building scalable processes for Tsunami’s next stage of growth. The ideal candidate thinks like an operator, drafts like a lawyer, and approaches legal challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset — providing clear options, practical recommendations, and an understanding of business risk rather than simply identifying roadblocks. What You’ll Own Corporate Governance & Strategic Advisory Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the CEO, executive team, and other senior leadersManage corporate governance, entity structure, governance filings, and equity documentationSupport board, investor, financing, and private equity mattersTranslate complex legal issues into clear business options, recommendations, and risk considerations M&A, Growth & Real Estate Lead the legal workstream for acquisitions from LOI through diligence, documentation, and closingManage outside counsel on complex transactions while maintaining accountability for strategy, cost, and executionLead post-acquisition legal integration, including entity cleanup and contract and license transfersNegotiate and advise on leases, site development, zoning, entitlements, land use, construction contracts, and other real estate matters Commercial Contracts Own the contract lifecycle across vendor, equipment, technology, marketing, and other commercial agreementsDevelop scalable contract templates, playbooks, approval processes, and signature authority standardsEstablish and oversee contract lifecycle management and the company’s contract repositoryPartner with business leaders to negotiate agreements that protect Tsunami while supporting operational needs Employment & Labor Partner with HR and Operations on multi-state employment and wage-and-hour complianceAdvise on policies, investigations, employee relations matters, terminations, and reductions in forceProvide guidance related to discrimination, harassment, ADA, FMLA, leave, and restrictive covenantsManage employment litigation, agency charges, and outside employment counsel Litigation, Claims & Risk Manage Tsunami’s litigation portfolio and provide legal oversight for customer and operational claimsOversee pre-litigation demands, settlements, mediation, litigation holds, and outside counselDevelop and manage enterprise legal risk and support incident response and crisis managementAdvise on environmental, facilities, licensing, permitting, data privacy, PCI, and other regulatory requirements Consumer Programs & Brand Protection Advise on membership programs, including auto-renewal, negative-option requirements, and cancellation processesProvide legal guidance for website and app terms, privacy policies, marketing, promotions, and loyalty programsEnsure compliance with consumer protection, advertising, and pricing requirementsManage Tsunami’s trademark portfolio and brand protection efforts Build the Legal Function Build and lead Tsunami’s in-house legal function, including legal operations, budget, systems, processes, and outside counselEstablish scalable legal infrastructure designed for a 100+ site organizationCreate repeatable processes that allow Legal to integrate seamlessly with Operations, HR, Finance, Growth, and other business functionsEvaluate future legal team needs and build the function as the organization continues to scale Requirements What You Bring: J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with the bar of at least one U.S. jurisdictionEligibility to register as in-house counsel in your state of residenceMinimum of 10 years of legal experience, including significant in-house experience within a high-growth, multi-site, or multi-unit organizationBroad generalist experience across corporate matters, commercial contracts, employment law, real estate, litigation management, and regulatory complianceDemonstrated experience managing M&A and/or commercial real estate transactionsExperience building or substantially scaling legal processes, templates, systems, and outside-counsel managementExperience advising CEOs, executive teams, and senior business leadersExperience working with private equity or institutional investorsStrong business judgment with the ability to identify risk while providing practical, actionable solutionsAbility to operate independently and confidently in a fast-paced, rapidly growing organizationExperience in retail, hospitality, consumer services, franchise, or another distributed consumer-facing organization preferredMulti-state employment law experience across a distributed hourly workforce preferredExperience with consumer membership or subscription models and auto-renewal requirements preferredFirst-in-role or legal department-building experience strongly preferred Summary What We Offer: Competitive base salary plus bonus opportunitiesHealth, dental, and vision insurancePaid time offEmployee discountsPaid training and professional development opportunitiesGrowth opportunities within a rapidly expanding companyThe opportunity to build and shape Tsunami’s legal function from the ground upA strong culture built on accountability, teamwork, innovation, and doing right by our people Travel & Schedule This is a primarily remote role with approximately 10% travel.Preference location is in the MidwestTravel will typically include corporate meetings, board and leadership sessions, and occasional travel related to acquisitions, real estate, or site matters. About Tsunami Express At Tsunami Express, we’re committed to creating an experience so seamless and satisfying that it becomes our customers’ favorite errand. Our teams combine people, technology, and operational excellence to deliver a fast, friendly, and memorable experience at every location. As we continue to grow, we remain focused on building a culture centered on accountability, innovation, and teamwork. Our Values: Fun Helpful Pioneering Accountable Together