Associate General Counsel, Corporate

Thetradedesk; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 151,100 - 277,000; Full time

Job summary

The Trade Desk is seeking an experienced corporate attorney to provide strategic legal guidance across Corporate Development, Finance, Investor Relations and Business Development. You will advise on SEC filings, lead M&A activities, draft and negotiate significant agreements, and support equity and debt financings in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Ideal candidates will have 8+ years in-house or equivalent law firm experience, with strong judgment, collaboration skills, and the

Qualifications

• 8+ years of in-house or equivalent experience.
• Significant experience in corporate, securities, and transactional matters.
• Strong ability to partner with senior leaders on complex, fast-moving deals.

Responsibilities

• Advise on corporate and securities matters for a public company, including SEC filings.
• Lead and support M&A, strategic transactions, and related financings.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage definitive agreements and outside counsel.

Skills

In-house experience

M&A

Securities

Contract Negotiation

Corporate governance

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive communication

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

The Trade Desk is a global technology company and the world’s leading independent platform for digital advertising, with nearly 4,000 employees across more than 30 offices. Our technology helps advertisers reach the right audiences across the open internet — from streaming TV and podcasts to mobile apps, news, and more. Advertising powers the content people love. By making it more transparent, effective, and responsible, we help support trusted journalism, quality entertainment, and creators worldwide. The world’s brands and agencies rely on us to reach their customers and grow their businesses responsibly. The scale of our platform brings unique technical challenges — from processing massive datasets in real time to building systems that operate reliably on a global scale. When you work here, your impact is worldwide. We welcome diverse perspectives, encourage curiosity, and build teams that learn from one another. If you’re driven to solve meaningful challenges, we’d love to meet you.

What we do:

The Trade Desk is a dynamic, fast‑growing technology company and we require excellent leadership at all levels. We are looking for an experienced corporate attorney who has excellent judgement, loves to analyze complex legal issues, find creative solutions, and effectively negotiate deals. We are looking for someone able to collaborate cross‑functionally while also balancing competing demands, working independently, maintaining a positive attitude and, hopefully, contributing some humor to our legal slack channel. The Trade Desk is a company that will invest in its employees’ professional development— as we grow, we want our employees to grow with us.

What you’ll do:

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Corporate Development, Finance, Investor Relations, Equity, Business Development, and Client Services teams on complex, high‑impact matters, delivering practical, business‑focused legal solutions.
• Advise on corporate and securities law matters for a public company, including the preparation and review of SEC filings (registration statements, Forms 10‑K, 10‑Q, 8‑K, and Section 16 filings), disclosure controls and procedures, and compliance with stock exchange listing requirements.
• Lead and support M&A, strategic transactions, and related financings from diligence through closing and integration, including transaction structuring; drafting and negotiating definitive agreements; managing outside counsel; advising on integration‑related legal, governance, and risk issues; and supporting equity and debt financings and strategic venture investments in partnership with Corporate Development and Finance teams.
• Partner closely with Investor Relations, Equity, and People teams on equity‑related matters, including equity plan administration, employment‑related equity arrangements, ESPPs, and related disclosure issues, providing clear, risk‑balanced guidance aligned with business objectives.
• Structure, draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial and strategic agreements, including joint business proposals, advertising agreements, NDAs, and other complex commercial contracts.
• Advise senior leaders on corporate governance and executive compensation matters, company policies, global entity management, ESG, and evolving legal and regulatory requirements, while proactively identifying opportunities to enhance corporate legal processes, scalability and operational efficiency.
• Monitor and assess legislative and regulatory developments affecting the company, providing actionable guidance to internal stakeholders on risk, compliance and strategic implications.
• Demonstrate leadership within the legal team by collaborating with other attorneys, setting best practices, and contributing to the development of a collaborative, solutions‑oriented legal culture.

Who you are:

• 8+ years of in‑house experience, or a combination of in‑house and experience at an internationally/nationally recognized law firm.
• Admitted to practice in New York or California or eligible to register as In‑House Counsel in New York or California.
• Juris doctorate from a top U.S. law school.
• Significant experience in corporate, securities, and transactional matters, including M&A and equity and debt financings, gained in a leading law firm and/or in‑house environment; experience with equity compensation and tax matters preferred.
• Experience with post‑merger integration and scaling legal processes in a growing company environment is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with senior business leaders on complex, fast‑moving transactions.
• Strong legal skills, including significant experience structuring, drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of corporate and commercial technology agreements.
• Proven ability to balance legal risk with business objectives in a fast‑paced environment and communicate complex legal concepts clearly and effectively to non‑legal stakeholders.
• Excellent business judgment and a strong commitment to delivering timely, high‑quality legal advice and work product.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, grounded in kindness, humility, and approachability.
• Please include a cover letter outlining your interest in the role.

The Trade Desk does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firm recruiters. Fees will not be paid in the event a candidate submitted by a recruiter without an agreement in place is hired; such resumes will be deemed the sole property of The Trade Desk. The Trade Desk is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

The Trade Desk will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Ordinance No. 184652.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

In accordance with various US state laws, the range provided is the Trade Desk’s reasonable estimate of the base compensation for this role. The actual amount may differ based on non‑discriminatory factors such as experience, knowledge, skills, and location. All employees may be eligible to become The Trade Desk shareholders through eligibility for stock‑based compensation grants, which are awarded to employees based on company and individual performance. The Trade Desk also offers other compensation depending on the role such as variable compensation‑based incentives and commissions. Plus, expected benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, and vision) with premiums paid in full for employees and dependents, retirement benefits such as a 401k plan and company match, short and long‑term disability coverage, basic life insurance, well‑being benefits, reimbursement for certain tuition expenses, parental leave, sick time of 1 hour per 30 hours worked, vacation time for full‑time employees up to 120 hours through the first year and 160 hours thereafter, and around 13 paid holidays per year. Employees can also purchase The Trade Desk stock at a discount through The Trade Desk’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

The Trade Desk also offers a competitive benefits package. Click here to learn more.

Note: Interns are not eligible for variable incentive awards such as stock‑based compensation, retirement plan, vacation, tuition reimbursement or parental leave.

$151,100 – $277,000 USD

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, The Trade Desk is committed to creating an inclusive hiring experience where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Please reach out to us at [e-mail] to request an accommodation or discuss any accessibility needs you may require to access our Company Website or navigate any part of the hiring process.

When you contact us, please include your preferred contact details and specify the nature of your accommodation request or questions. Any information you share will be handled confidentially and will not impact our hiring decisions.