Founding Commercial Counsel

Overview

An early-stage legal services organization is seeking a founding commercial counsel to lead commercial contracting work and help shape how legal services are delivered at scale.

This role combines software and attorney expertise to support startup clients.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including SaaS contracts, MSAs, NDAs, DPAs, and vendor agreements.
• Advise founders and in-house teams through Slack and calls, applying practical, stage-appropriate judgment to legal and business risks.
• Own client relationships by providing responsive counsel and building trust through meeting agreed turnaround commitments.
• Convert negotiation positions, fallback terms, and review standards into practical playbooks and AI-powered workflows.
• Help build the commercial practice, support onboarding future attorneys, and contribute to product development.

Requirements

• 5 to 8 years of commercial contracts experience, including in-house counsel experience at a startup or other fast-moving company.
• Hands-on drafting and negotiation experience across SaaS agreements, MSAs, NDAs, DPAs, vendor deals, and partnership or channel agreements.
• Strong knowledge of technology contract terms, including liability caps, indemnity, intellectual property, data, and termination.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to explain legal tradeoffs in clear, practical language.
• Experience using AI tools in legal practice and interest in building legal judgment into workflows.
• JD and active membership in good standing with a US state bar; California or New York admission is preferred.

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual salary range: $170,000 to $220,000 USD.
• Visa sponsorship is not available.
• Candidates must be US citizens or hold a Green Card.

Location

• Remote within the United States, with San Francisco, California as the primary location.