Product Counsel

Experienced Hire Corporate McLean, Virginia

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.

Appian is seeking a Product Counsel to work directly with our Product and Engineering teams, serving as a trusted advisor throughout the entire development lifecycle—from ideation to launch. In this role, the Product Counsel will navigate complex global regulatory landscapes, with a specific focus on privacy compliance and AI governance, to enable rapid innovation while effectively mitigating legal risk. The Product Counsel will be expected to partner with our technology teams to be knowledgeable regarding Appian technology and become a trusted resource within those teams and the Legal department.

This role is based at our HQ in McLean, VA. Appian was built on a culture of in-person collaboration, which we believe is a key driver of our mission to be the best. Employees hired for this position are expected to be in the office 5 days a week to foster that culture and ensure we continue to thrive through shared ideas and teamwork.

We believe being in the office provides more opportunities to come together and celebrate working with the exceptional people across Appian.

In this role, you will:

Act as a trusted advisor to Appian product, engineering, and business technology teams throughout the development lifecycle for the Appian platform and associated applications.

Assist with compliance with US and international laws and regulations including those concerning privacy, artificial intelligence, copyright, security, marketing, and data protection.

Coordinate advice with cross-functional stakeholders, including product, engineering, security, and other internal and external legal counsel.

Build positive and influential relationships company-wide through business-focused legal advice, knowledge-sharing and training.

Assist with contracts, security, and product teams in responding to focused questionnaires from customers or prospective customers (e.g., DPAs, AI questionnaires); assist with vendor contract reviews as needed.

Coordinate among departments and provide guidance on subject data access requests of customers and employees as needed.

Assist with privacy impact assessments and advise on privacy compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), and stay up to date on applicable regulations.

Required Experience:

Juris Doctorate required.

Admitted to the bar and in good standing or otherwise authorized to practice law (e.g., have registered in-house status) in the state in which the position is located.

3+ years of experience gained at a law firm or in-house focused on issues related to the interaction between technology and the law (e.g., data privacy and security, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, or emerging technology issues).

Preferred Experience:

Experience gained at a law firm or in-house focused on issues related to the interaction between technology and the law (e.g., data privacy and security, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, or emerging technology issues).

Prior experience in-house at a technology company.

Prior experience with Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) licensing and technology.

A strong mix of legal, business, and technical acumen to allow the new employee to understand and interface with stakeholders from multiple departments.

Certified privacy professional (CIPP).

Tools and Resources

• Training and Development:
  During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires.
• Growth Opportunities:
  Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for…