Upwork ($UPWK) is the world’s work marketplace. We help connect companies large and small with top independent talent from around the world. Simply put, our mission is to create economic opportunities so people have better lives.

Every year, more than $2 billion of work is done through Upwork by skilled independent professionals who want the freedom of working anytime, anywhere.

Upwork (NASDAQ: UPWK) is the world's largest work marketplace. Upwork allows businesses to get more done and helps professionals break free of traditional time and place boundaries and work anytime, anywhere on projects they love.  At Upwork, you'll help build on this momentum. Together, we'll create economic and social value on a global scale, providing a trusted online workplace for businesses to connect with extraordinary talent and work without limits.

You'll join the award-winning Upwork Legal Team. We are a collaborative, trusting and high-performing team that loves to work on state-of-the art legal issues and generate practical solutions. The team has a passion for what we do that has been recognized in the industry. 

This rare in-house opportunity is ideal for employment counsel seeking to make a direct business impact. You will focus on 50-state and global worker classification and employment law compliance support for our Upwork Enterprise suite, which is used by nearly 20% of the Fortune 500 and growing. You will monitor legal developments and partner to provide high-caliber contingent workforce solutions for large companies.

• Provide legal support for our Upwork Enterprise Solution with a focus on worker classification and U.S. and global staffing agency employment law compliance.
• Partner with the Sales team to enable client growth through supporting contract negotiations and assisting with client calls.
• Support our Hybrid Workforce Solutions team and our Upwork Payroll Solution through conducting legal assessments and vetting global staffing agencies. 
• Partner with the Enterprise team to address clients’ needs and concerns around account configuration, which may include a diverse range of legal areas, such as worker classification, custom tasks, and background checks. 
• Help our Marketing teams craft informative content on legal and industry topics and our product offerings.
• Support Human Resources including HR Operations and Recruiting.

• Demonstrated  experience practicing employment law, including Am Law 100 experience.
• Licensed to practice law in Illinois or state of residence.
• Expertise in contingent workforce legal issues, including federal and state employment law.
• Nuanced legal analysis and advisory skills to provide advice and options to meet myriad business needs.
• Ability to collaborate cross-functionally with business and other partners across the company.
• Strong oral and written communication skills to explain complex concepts for a variety of audiences.

At Upwork, you’ll shape talent solutions for how the world works today. We are a remote-first organization working together to create exciting remote work opportunities for a global community of professionals.  While we have physical offices in San Francisco and Chicago, currently we also support hiring of corporate full-time employees in 15 states in the United States. Please speak with a member of our recruitment team to determine whether you are located in a state in which we are hiring corporate full-time employees. 

Our vibrant culture is built on shared values and our mission to create economic opportunities so that people have better lives. We foster amazing teams, put our community first, and have a bias toward action. We encourage everyone to bring their whole selves to work and grow together through development opportunities, mentorship, and employee resource groups. Oh yeah, we’ve also got amazing benefits.

Check out our Life at Upwork page to learn more about the employee experience.   

Upwork is proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we never discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.