Founding Partner, Lawyer

Overview

This role is sourced from a job board.

The organization is establishing a US practice next, starting in California. The effort combines a lawyer-owned practice with a separately organized management services organization (MSO). The lawyer in this role owns and runs the practice of law, while co-founding the MSO that builds and operates the non-legal infrastructure the firm runs on.

Responsibilities

• Own the law firm, including the license, entity, clients, and professional judgement.
• Co-found the MSO and help build and run everything that is not the practice of law, including:
  • AI systems the firm runs on
  • Engineering
  • Operations
  • Finance
  • Marketing
  • Administration
  • Recruiting
• Serve the firm through an MSO structure under an arm’s-length services agreement, with the MSO taking a services fee.
• Build client relationships and convert inbound calls with relevant contacts into engagements.
• Apply legal ethics and professional judgement in areas including independence of judgement, fee-sharing, confidentiality, and unauthorized practice.

Requirements

• Admitted in California and in good standing.
• Senior enough that clients hire you directly (rather than relying on firm letterhead).
• You have a book of business and know key stakeholders such as GCs, partners, founders, and alumni who will take your call.
• You have considered leaving practice to start your own firm, and the main reason you did not is that you did not want to spend three years building a back office.
• You want ownership rather than a salary line (Founder equity in the MSO plus the economics of your own firm).
• Strong knowledge of legal ethics, including limits around MSO structures.
• Preference for solving cases over talking about solving cases; motivation comes from legal craft.
• Tech-curious mindset: AI in law does not threaten you and is the most interesting development in your career.
• Comfortable being early: you expect minimal brand, limited precedent resources, and no support staff on day one.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building or advising on MSO, ABS, or other alternative legal service structures.
• Prior ownership of a P&L or a practice group.
• Litigation experience alongside advisory work.
• A second language.

Compensation & Benefits

• Founder equity in the MSO plus the economics of your own firm.

Location

• San Francisco
• Remote

Employment Type

• Full time