Emerging Companies Counsel

Blackletter; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackletter is reinventing legal services with frontier automation and top-tier lawyers. You will partner with venture-backed tech companies, guiding incorporation, governance, and complex financings while shaping the technology the firm uses to deliver efficient legal work.

We seek an experienced lawyer (4–15 years) with strong commercial instincts, capable of practical, client-focused advice and a passion for changing how law gets done.

Qualifications

• 4–15 years of experience at a leading law firm or in-house, advising venture-backed technology companies.
• Strong commercial instincts with clear, practical advice across a range of issues.
• Proactive mindset; seeks to improve how routine work is done via automation and smarter processes.

Responsibilities

• Advise founders on incorporation and ongoing governance.
• Lead venture financings, from SAFEs and convertible notes through priced rounds.
• Represent companies in mergers and acquisitions.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements.
• Serve as primary contact for a roster of clients, running matters end to end.
• Collaborate with founders, investors, and counterparties to move deals forward.
• Shape how AI-driven workflows are built.

Skills

Commercial instincts

Client advisory

Business law

Governance guidance

Job description

Blackletter is reinventing legal services from first principles.

We pair frontier automation with top-tier lawyers. This allows our firm to deliver elite legal services with a transformed experience for our clients and for the lawyers doing the work. Early traction has been strong. We are serving a growing roster of clients across venture financing, commercial, corporate, and employment, and we are backed by leading venture investors.

Our founding team brings experience from frontier AI labs, leading law firms, and some of the top law schools in North America. The most impactful firm in the world ten years from now will not be one founded in the 1900s, or the 1800s. It was founded in 2026.

We are a small team making our earliest hires, with a significant opportunity to shape not only our company, but the entire legal profession.

The Role

You will be the day-to-day legal partner for venture-backed technology companies, handling the work that emerging companies face as they form, grow, and scale. You will also work closely with the team to help shape the technology that the firm uses to make legal work more efficient.

What You Will Do

• Advise founders on incorporation and ongoing governance
• Lead venture financings, from SAFEs and convertible notes through priced rounds
• Represent companies in mergers and acquisitions
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements
• Serve as the primary contact for a roster of clients, running matters end to end, spotting issues before clients raise them, and bringing in specialist support when a matter calls for it
• Work directly with founders, investors, and counterparties to move deals forward
• Shape how our AI-driven workflows are built

Who We Are Looking For

Experience: 4 to 15 years at a leading law firm or in-house, advising emerging and venture-backed technology companies.

Judgment: Strong commercial instincts and the ability to give clear, practical advice across a wide range of issues.

Orientation: You notice when the same issue comes up repeatedly and look for a way to handle it better the next time. You are frustrated by how long routine legal work takes and are open to changing how it gets done.

Compensation and Structure

Competitive salary plus equity. Compensation is commensurate with experience.

Why Us

You will spend more of your time on negotiating, advising, and making judgment calls, and less on work that should already be automated. As one of our first legal hires, you will have a direct hand in shaping the future practice of law.

We value and celebrate diversity and strive to create an inclusive work environment for all. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please reach out to [e-mail].