John Pothier

About

I'm a business-focused legal leader who focuses on corporate, commercial, employment, compliance & data privacy law, and being a strategic business partner. I've worked in-house all of my career until now, where I've started Embedded Counsel with my partner, a former colleague, to deliver in-house focused legal services to startups (i.e., becoming their outsourced in-house legal team) and larger entities needing to augment their resources. With over a decade of experience leading legal, security, and IT initiatives, I have progressively honed my expertise and leadership capabilities. My journey began, not just with foundational roles in legal compliance and contract management, but also as the founder of Legal Edimation, an edtech startup I launched while still in law school that secured pre-seed funding and production contract with Harvard Law School. Over the years, I have expanded my skill set to encompass corporate governance, strategic development, and implementation of complex initiatives for an Andreessen Horowitz-backed edtech company. In addition to founding Legal Edimation, my career highlights include driving Series C and Series C Plus fundraises totaling ~$107M, which required not only legal acumen but also strategic financial planning and stakeholder management. I successfully implemented a global equity plan and oversaw the acquisition of UbiSim, demonstrating my ability to navigate intricate corporate transactions and drive business growth. My approach to legal and business advice is rooted in a proactive and collaborative mindset. I prioritize understanding the unique needs and goals of the business to provide tailored legal frameworks that support growth and innovation while ensuring compliance with global regulations. By fostering strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, I aim to create a seamless integration of legal strategies with business objectives.

Practice Areas

Featured Clients

NetBrainLabsterCompliance & RisksGround Up Innovations, LLCCyberQP

Services

• Fractional In House Team (FIHT)

  Fractional legal services provided under the expectation that a fixed amount of hours per month are subscribed to and provided by any attorney/staff at Embedded Counsel. Each with generalist and specialist knowledge able to support the necessary matter. Instead of a Fractional GC, the client gets a Fractional legal team.
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• Legal Evaluation and Assessment Project (LEAP)

  Focused legal risk audit of a specific functional area (e.g., corporate governance, commercial contracting, intellectual property, and data privacy and security). Takes an under-the-hood look at the current state, evaluates the client's goals, and provides a risk assessment and actional steps to mitigate those risks and achieve the client's desired go-forward state.
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"John is a very competent and knowledgeable lawyer. He brings deep expertise, sound judgment, and a practical approach to complex issues. It was a pleasure working with him."

Work

• 
  VP, Legal and Compliance

  Labster

  Nov 2020 - Aug 2024
• 
  Senior Corporate Counsel

  NetBrain

  Feb 2019 - Nov 2020
• 
  Counsel

  Progress Software

  Sep 2016 - Feb 2019

Education

• New England School of Law
  Juris Doctorate • 2012
• University of Phoenix
  Master of Business Administration • 2013
• University of Massachusetts - Boston
  Bachelor of Arts • 2009