Strategic Legal Advisor for tech and AI companies navigating growth, regulation and enterprise trust.

11+ years building legal functions inside SaaS and AI companies — from GDPR frameworks to board-level governance — across the EU, UK, US and UAE.

Available for select engagements
Yuliia Verhun
Certified AI EthicistOxford AI Ethics Programme
About

The lawyer tech founders call first.

For over a decade, I have been the lawyer tech founders call before a problem becomes a crisis.

As Fractional General Counsel and strategic advisor to founders and boards, I build the legal architecture that allows technology companies to scale with confidence — establishing in-house legal functions from scratch, guiding shareholders through fundraising and M&A, and translating data protection compliance into a demonstrable commercial advantage.

As a Certified AI Ethicist, I counsel AI vendors on governance frameworks that are practical in operation and defensible under scrutiny — preparing clients for enterprise procurement, security and compliance reviews and for the fast-evolving regulatory landscape across the EU and the United States.

Beyond client engagements, I remain committed to the next generation of legal and technology professionals. I serve as a mentor within Ignyte, the Dubai-based global startup ecosystem, supporting emerging founders in challenges of building at the earliest stages.

By Numbers

Experience at scale.

11+ years
of experience as General Counsel and Head of Legal Department at tech companies
6+ GDPR programs
end-to-end GDPR compliance programs delivered for global SaaS companies (each spanning 4 to 12 months of implementation)
100M+ user data records
governed and protected
200+ questionnaires
for SaaS vendors managed (data processing & cybersecurity)
Thousands of technology agreements
reviewed and negotiated, including MSAs, DPAs and other IT contracts
Services

Four practice areas. One integrated legal advisor.

Each engagement is scoped to the stage and needs of your business — from a single compliance workstream to full fractional GC coverage.

Data Protection & GDPR

Turning data protection from a compliance burden into a mechanism that wins enterprise deals — through practical frameworks, credible documentation and audit-ready processes.

  • Developing GDPR compliance frameworks for all company data processing systems
  • Data audits and readiness assessments
  • Trust Center and public-facing privacy pages development
  • Data mapping and Records of Processing Activities (RoPA)
  • Drafting and negotiating Data Processing Agreements (DPAs)
  • International data transfer mechanisms (SCCs, adequacy assessments, TIAs)
  • Sub-processors governance and vendor risk management
  • Data retention and data minimization frameworks
  • Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) guidelines and implementation
  • Incident-response and breach-notification procedures
  • Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs)

Cybersecurity & Compliance

Working alongside engineering and security teams to translate technical safeguards into contractual protections that hold up under enterprise scrutiny.

  • Developing cybersecurity measures frameworks with technical teams
  • Security questionnaire and RFP response management
  • Customer and vendor due-diligence coordination
  • Master Service Agreements (MSAs) and Master License Agreements (MLAs)
  • Contractual security controls (encryption, access management, audit rights)
  • Cyber insurance advisory and risk allocation
  • Incident response planning and breach communication protocols
  • Vendor and third-party risk assessments
  • Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery policy development
  • Bridging Security, Engineering and Legal on compliance requirements

AI Governance & Compliance

Operationally realistic governance for AI vendors — preparing you for enterprise procurement, security reviews and the fast-evolving EU and US regulatory landscape.

  • AI governance framework design (policies, roles, oversight structure)
  • EU AI Act risk classification and compliance roadmaps
  • AI data mapping — training data, model inputs/outputs, third-party data use
  • Conformity Assessments for high-risk AI systems
  • Pre-deployment guidance and post-deployment AI compliance
  • AI vendor and procurement due-diligence support
  • Responsible AI policies and internal usage guidelines
  • Enterprise customer AI security and compliance reviews
  • Investor and due-diligence readiness for AI-driven products
  • Bias, transparency and explainability risk advisory

Fractional General Counsel

End-to-end legal function for early and growth-stage startups — from your first term sheet to cross-border expansion — without the cost of a full-time GC.

  • End-to-end legal function build-out for early and growth-stage startups
  • Fundraising support — term sheets, SAFEs, SPAs, cap table management
  • Investor relations and data room preparation
  • M&A due diligence and cross-border transaction structuring
  • Corporate governance — Board and Shareholder meeting support
  • Commercial contract drafting and negotiation (SaaS agreements, partnerships)
  • Employment agreements, ESOP structuring and contractor arrangements
  • IP protection and software licensing (open-source compliance included)
  • Corporate structuring across multiple jurisdictions (UAE, UK, EU, US)
  • Legal team hiring, mentoring and process/template development
  • General "on-call" legal advisory for founders and executives
Professional experience

A decade inside tech.

2022 — Present

Fractional General Counsel & Legal Advisor

General Counsel for your startup

2025 — Present

Startup Mentor

Ignyte · UAE

2025 — 2026

Fractional Head of Legal

Dripify · Sales automation platform

2025 — 2026

Fractional Chief Legal Officer

Recruo · AI recruitment startup · United Kingdom

2022 — 2023

Legal Advisor

Hatch & Boost · Venture platform · UAE

2020 — 2022

General Counsel

Clearmove · SaaS global mobility · UAE, United Kingdom

2016 — 2020

Head of Legal Department

Unicheck · SaaS plagiarism checker · EU, USA

2014 — 2015

IT Lawyer

Advising global startups

Credentials & continued study

Continuously learning.

Certified · 09.07.2025
University
Saïd Business School
University of Oxford
Certified AI Ethicist (CAIE) badge
Certification
Certified AI Ethicist (CAIE)
Programme
Oxford AI Ethics, Regulation and Compliance Programme
oxIssued by oxethica
Verify credential
In progress
University
Johns Hopkins University
Whiting School of Engineering
Certification
Cybersecurity: IT and Data Security in the Age of AI
Focus
Focused on the intersection of cybersecurity frameworks, AI systems and modern threat landscapes.
View program
Testimonials

Trusted by founders and technology leaders.

Serhii Tkachenko
Serhii Tkachenko
EdTech Founder ×2 · 3D/AI/AR/VR in K-12 · Investor
"

I had the pleasure of working with Yuliia at Unicheck, where I served as CEO and she led the Legal function.

Yuliia is an exceptional international lawyer, a highly organized leader, and a true master of time management. Her contribution to GDPR implementation was especially valuable at a time when most companies were still struggling to understand the new requirements, and thanks to her work, both our product and the entire company were fully prepared on time. Under her leadership, we ensured data protection compliance for nearly three million users across the EU and the United States, including students and minors. She managed the development of user privacy tools, parental consent flows, compliant marketing processes, international data migrations, and DPAs with universities.

Yuliia also played a crucial role in the due diligence process during our M&A transaction, where data governance was one of the key areas for a service as data focused as Unicheck.

I highly recommend Yuliia as an expert in data protection, GDPR, and AI Governance and Compliance who can turn complex regulatory requirements into clear and effective business processes.

Get in touch

Let's talk about where you're going.

For consulting engagements, speaking invitations and mentorship enquiries.