Head of Legal, Fintech & Digital Assets

Index Industries is a venture-backed startup, with a mission to build the financial infrastructure for a new era of real estate investing, one that opens the largest asset classes to investors across the globe. The company is currently in stealth and launching its first technology in 2026.

About the Role

We hire builders with founder-like energy who want real ownership and impact. You move fast with good judgment, think from first principles, and get things done end-to-end.

This role leads legal for our expanding fintech business, digital asset infrastructure, token structures, and regulatory compliance, plus general corporate and transactional support across the broader portfolio. You'll work directly with CEOs, CLO, and business leadership, with real exposure to board- and investor-level matters as we grow.

Responsibilities

• Design the legal architecture behind our products and regulated infrastructure.
• Lead corporate governance, commercial contracting, and legal operations, and manage outside counsel strategically while keeping legal practical and execution-focused.
• Provide legal support across fintech and digital asset matters, including token structures, wallet infrastructure, financial agreements, and related regulatory needs; help define industry standards for tokenized products.
• Run regulatory analysis and compliance mapping and monitor developments in digital assets, DeFi, and fintech to brief leadership.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial and partnership agreements, including technology vendor contracts, NDAs, and financial arrangements.
• Support fundraising and capital markets work (term sheets, investor agreements, due diligence) and corporate governance items like board resolutions and subsidiary management.
• Establish and maintain compliance infrastructure, and work cross-functionally with finance, HR, product, and operations to catch legal risk early without slowing the business down.

What Makes You Exceptional

• A strong interest in digital assets, tokenization, and the evolution of capital markets, with a product mindset: you'd rather build systems than review paperwork.
• Entrepreneurial DNA, comfort making decisions in ambiguous environments, and a belief that good legal work should enable product and accelerate innovation, not slow it down.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school and an active U.S. bar license, admitted in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (Illinois or NY preferred).
• 3 to 7 years of legal experience, with broad experience across fundraising, partnerships, commercial contracts, and real estate.
• Fintech industry experience required; digital assets and tokenization experience strongly preferred, including working knowledge of U.S. securities law as it applies to digital assets and token offerings.
• Experience building legal and compliance functions in a scaling U.S. business, and supporting cross-functional leadership on commercial and regulatory matters.
• Strong, independent contract drafting and negotiation skills, and clear, concise writing without unnecessary legalese.
• Low-ego, business-oriented judgment, high integrity, and comfort in a fast-moving, cross-functional environment.
• Bonus: tokenization experience, real estate, lending, or financial services regulatory experience; familiarity with vault protocols, or smart contract legal issues; prior in-house experience at a startup, fintech company, or digital assets firm.

Compensation

Competitive Base + equity + a comprehensive benefits package. Chicago-based highly preferred, but open to remote with regular travel to Chicago or New York for offsites and key meetings.