Product Counsel, ERISA & Operations

About the role

In this role, you will be the in-house ERISA expert for Human Interest, applying deep substantive expertise to the ERISA, IRC, and fiduciary obligations inherent in operating a 401(k) recordkeeping platform. The role sits at the intersection of ERISA, technology, and operations. You'll be part of a legal team helping a growth-stage company expand access to retirement plans for small and mid-market employers, making it easier for the businesses that need 401(k) plans to offer them.

You will have two primary internal clients: (1) the teams that work directly with plan sponsors and participants, and (2) the product team responsible for building our features and products. You will bring legal rigor, practical judgment, and the ability to translate applicable regulatory frameworks into actionable guidance. You need to be comfortable applying your expertise in an environment where automated workflows and payroll integrations support the underlying ERISA requirements that govern recordkeeping.

Human Interest's legal team uses AI tools to work efficiently and deliver high-quality legal work. This role will not be a good fit if you are not already familiar with and using AI tools in your daily work.

What you get to do every day

Your work spans two primary internal audiences: the teams that work directly with our customers, and the product team that builds the platform. Across both, you'll apply ERISA fiduciary, qualification, and disclosure expertise to live business questions.

• Serve as the Front-Line Legal Advisor to Customer-Facing Teams: Be the go-to ERISA resource for the internal teams that work directly with plan sponsors and participants — providing real-time, practical legal guidance on the ERISA, IRC, and fiduciary questions that surface as customers interact with the platform. This work spans the full customer lifecycle, from new plans coming onto the platform to ongoing administration and customer retention. Day to day, this includes:
• Advising on complex plan sponsor or participant questions that internal teams cannot resolve on their own
• Working through fact patterns where automation, plan terms, or customer expectations don't align, and determining the right ERISA-defensible course of action
• Helping internal teams navigate ERISA-driven constraints when responding to time-sensitive customer matters, including matters requiring EPCRS analysis, anti-cutback considerations under IRC §411(d)(6), or participant disclosure obligations
• Advising on when a new or updated fee disclosure is required under ERISA §408(b)(2), §404(a)(5), or related rules, and on the substantive content
• Reviewing participant-facing communications, SPDs, SMMs, and plan sponsor disclosures for ERISA compliance, including both the content of individual disclosures and the automated workflows that generate them
• Translating technical ERISA requirements into clear guidance for non-lawyer internal stakeholders