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Founders Law

Corporate Lawyer

Reposted 3 Days Ago
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In-Office
London, Greater London, England
Senior level
In-Office
London, Greater London, England
Senior level
The Corporate Associate will handle corporate matters, lead M&A transactions, draft agreements, advise on governance, and work with clients in various industries while shaping the corporate practice within a collaborative team.
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This role is listed for a qualified lawyer

Join our VC-focused corporate team and build deep expertise working with venture-backed startups from pre-seed through Series A. You'll work directly with our Head of Corporate (trained at Orrick and Goodwin, previously led VC advisory at SeedLegals).

This role is for ambitious corporate lawyers who want to specialise in venture capital and startups/scaleups, whether you're currently at an international firm, boutique, or strong regional practice.

The role

Day-to-day:

  • Draft and negotiate term sheets, investment agreements, shareholder agreements and articles of association for venture rounds
  • Handle corporate governance, board materials, and statutory compliance for fast-growing companies
  • Coordinate due diligence and manage data rooms for funding rounds
  • Work directly with founders, management teams, and tier-1 VC investors
  • Work with pre-seed companies on simple governance documents ahead of external financing

The work: Pre-seed to Series A+ fundraising (£500k-£10m+ rounds), convertible financings, corporate reorganisations, governance advisory. Clients are venture-backed tech companies across AI, fintech, defence, gaming, fashion, and deep tech.

Why this role

If you're at an international firm: You'll trade layers of associates for direct client ownership and much faster progression. You'll lead deals in 12-24 months instead of 5-7 years, work directly with an experienced VC lawyer instead of through multiple seniors, and build a name in the VC ecosystem.

If you're at a boutique or regional firm: You'll get focused VC specialisation (not general corporate), higher-quality deal flow (venture-backed companies with tier-1 investors), direct mentorship from a senior VC lawyer, and access to a network of 400+ high-growth clients across multiple sectors and geographies.

Regardless of where you are now:

  • Real client relationships: Founders message you directly, you're in board meetings, you understand their business model
  • Quality work: Venture-backed companies in cutting-edge sectors with sophisticated investors on the cap table
  • Deep expertise: Build specialised VC knowledge instead of staying a generalist forever
  • Career acceleration: Portable skills - whether you stay in private practice or go in-house

What we're looking for?

Experience:

  • 1-3 years PQE from an international firm, boutique, or strong regional practice
  • Corporate law background - VC/startup experience helpful but not essential
  • Excellent drafter with strong attention to detail
  • Track record of taking ownership and delivering quality work

Mindset:

  • Ambitious - you want to build deep expertise and progress quickly, not coast
  • Self-starter - you figure things out, ask smart questions, and take initiative
  • Genuinely curious about startups - you should actually care what our clients are building
  • Collaborative but autonomous - you know when to ask for help and when to solve it yourself
  • Entrepreneurial - you understand why founders do what they do, even when it's chaotic

What we're not looking for:

  • People who need constant hand-holding or rigid structure
  • Anyone uncomfortable with startup ambiguity and fast-moving deals
  • Risk-averse types who need everything mapped out in advance

Who are we?

We're not a traditional law firm. We partner with over 400 companies across 5 continents, from pre-seed startups to Series B scale-ups, providing embedded legal support with a top-tier approach.

Our clients are in AI, fintech, defence, fashion, gaming, aerospace, crypto, and more. They're backed by tier-1 VCs and founded by people building ambitious businesses. They treat us as part of their team, and we act like it.

The team: Small, ambitious, and growing. You'll join our VC-focused corporate practice, working closely with specialists in employment, IP, and commercial when deals require it. You'll have direct access to senior leadership and external consultants.

The culture: High-trust, entrepreneurial, outcome-focused. We care about quality work, responsiveness to clients, and building expertise. We're building something excellent and looking for people who want to build it with us.

Recognition: Named one of the "Best Places to Work in Professional Services and Consultancy" in 2025, listed in the "Top 100 Places To Work For People Development" and "Best Places To Work For Women" in 2025.

What you want to know

We're working to continue to build an environment of talented individuals with lots of energy to thrive.

We have a beautiful, shiny office with a terrace overlooking Temple Park, Big Ben*, & The Shard. In the office, the team currently offers weekly yoga sessions, free bike servicing once a quarter, and various other events.

However, we’re hybrid, so you can work from the office or home; it's your choice.

We just need you to be on the UK tax system. We’ll set you up on a MacBook Pro or Surface Business 5 with a home office allowance, so you have everything you need.

Not only do we have a team of ever-growing entrepreneurial lawyers, but we have some pretty good perks too;

  • Competitive salary (We know everyone says this, but we do want the best candidates, so apply, let us know your rate and let's chat)
  • Discretionary quarterly profit share bonus and annual bonus opportunities
  • +25 days annual leave, don't worry, bank holidays are on top
  • Day off on your birthday
  • 5 days leave for education a year + dedicated annual education budget just for you
  • Private healthcare with Vitality
  • Private Dental care + hearing and discounts with Vision Express
  • £350 home setup allowance
  • Worldwide travel insurance, including Winter Sports
  • Annual emergency childcare allowance
  • Half-price gym membership at Virgin Active
  • Electric car leasing salary sacrifice scheme saving up to 40% on electric cars
  • Cycle to work scheme saving up to 32% on a bike and splitting your payments over 12 months
  • Tech-funded scheme so you can kit out your house with a discount and split payments interest-free over 12 months
  • There are socials every two to three weeks if you want to join us, from bars and restaurants to experiences at the F1 Arcade, Gamebox, Fairgame, and many more.

+ lots more.

*In Autumn/Winter when the leaves fall off the trees

HQ

Founders Law London, England Office

1 Temple Avenue, Hamilton House, London, United Kingdom, EC4Y 0HA

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