Commercial Counsel

Clera Labs, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); Remote; USD 170,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Clera Labs, Inc. is seeking a founding Commercial Counsel to lead commercial contracting for startup clients. You will draft, review, and negotiate MSAs, SaaS contracts, NDAs, DPAs, and vendor agreements while advising founders and in-house teams with practical, risk-aware guidance.

You will turn negotiations into playbooks and AI-enabled workflows, help build the commercial practice, and contribute to product development; remote-ready for US-based work.

Qualifications

• 4–5 years of commercial contracts experience, 5–8 years preferred.
• JD and active bar membership in a US jurisdiction; CA or NY admission preferred.
• In-house commercial counsel experience at a startup or technology company.
• Drafting, negotiating, and building templates for SaaS, MSAs, NDAs, DPAs, and vendor deals.
• SaaS and tech contract terms knowledge: liability caps, indemnity, IP, data, termination.
• Ability to explain legal tradeoffs clearly to founders.
• Experience using AI tools in legal practice and codifying judgment into workflows; platform/workflow development.
• Comfort using Slack for client communication.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including MSAs, SaaS contracts, NDAs, DPAs, and vendor agreements.
• Advise founders and in-house teams through calls and Slack, offering practical, risk-calibrated guidance.
• Manage client relationships, meet turnaround commitments, and serve as trusted commercial counsel.
• Turn negotiation positions, fallback terms, and review standards into playbooks and AI-enabled workflows.
• Help develop the commercial practice, onboard future attorneys, and contribute to product development.

Skills

Commercial contract drafting

SaaS contract negotiations

MSA drafting

NDA/DPA drafting

Vendor agreements

In-house counsel experience

Legal strategy & playbooks

Slack communications

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

US Bar admission (CA or NY preferred)

Tools

Slack

AI tools in legal practice

Job description

About the Role

A venture-backed legal technology company is hiring a founding Commercial Counsel to lead commercial contracting for startup clients. You will provide practical legal advice while helping shape how commercial legal services are delivered through software and repeatable workflows.

What You'll Do

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including MSAs, SaaS contracts, NDAs, DPAs, and vendor agreements.
• Advise founders and in-house teams through calls and Slack, offering practical, risk-calibrated guidance.
• Manage client relationships, meet turnaround commitments, and serve as a trusted commercial counsel.
• Turn negotiation positions, fallback terms, and review standards into playbooks and AI-enabled workflows.
• Help develop the commercial practice, onboard future attorneys, and contribute to product development.

What We're Looking For

• At least 4 to 5 years of commercial contracts experience, with 5 to 8 years preferred.
• A JD and active bar membership in a US jurisdiction. California or New York admission is preferred.
• In-house commercial counsel experience at a startup or technology company.
• Hands-on experience drafting, negotiating, and building templates for SaaS agreements, MSAs, NDAs, DPAs, and vendor deals.
• Strong knowledge of SaaS and technology contract terms, including liability caps, indemnity, intellectual property, data, and termination.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to explain legal tradeoffs in plain language while working directly with founders.
• Experience using AI tools in legal practice and interest in codifying legal judgment into workflows. The role includes substantial platform and workflow development.
• Comfort using Slack for client communication.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $170,000 to $220,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Location

Remote within the United States. Primary location: San Francisco, California.