Corporate EC/VC Associate

Gould & Ratner LLP; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare (medical, vision, dental)

Life and long-term disability

401k and profit sharing

Paid caregiver leave

Hybrid in-office/remote

Job summary

Gould & Ratner LLP in Chicago, IL seeks an Associate for its Corporate Practice with 3–6 years of experience in venture-backed transactions and corporate matters. The role covers EC/VC financing, M&A, private funds, formation and governance, and related contracts, with direct client contact and significant responsibility in a collaborative, hybrid office/remote setting.

Candidates should be licensed in Illinois or eligible for comity, and be prepared to relocate; the firm emphasizes professional

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of experience in corporate transactional law.
• Experience with venture capital financing tools (SAFE, convertible debt, preferred equity).
• Experience drafting transactional agreements and managing closings.
• Comfort with cap table management tools (Carta) and Excel.
• Ability to interact with clients and provide business-focused legal advice.

Responsibilities

• Handle all aspects of complex corporate transactions for venture-backed clients.
• Interact with clients, participate in business development, and take significant responsibility.
• Support private funds, formation and governance, and other corporate matters as needed.
• Collaborate with partners and cross-functional teams in a hybrid work setting.

Skills

Venture capital

Corporate law

Client interaction

Business development

Tools

Carta

Cap table tools

Excel

Job description

Gould & Ratner LLP is seeking an Associate to join its Corporate Practice. The ideal candidate will have between 3-6 years of experience working with early stage and growth stage companies, founders and venture capital firms and will have substantial experience working on and supporting a range of EC/VC transactions. Additional background in other transactional and corporate governance matters, including private funds, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structure (formation and reorganization), commercial contracts, joint ventures, and other broad-based corporate matters is a plus.

Candidates can look forward to a practice that will include handling all aspects of complex transactions for sophisticated clients of all sizes and across industries. This attorney will gain direct client interaction, business development experience and significant responsibility on complex and sophisticated legal matters. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney who is highly motivated and seeking a positive career trajectory.

More information and highlights about our Corporate Practice can be found here https://www.gouldratner.com/service-area/corporate

• 3-6 years of experience practicing corporate transactional law, including:
  • Significant experience and familiarity with the forms published by the National Venture Capital Association.
  • Familiarity with convertible debt, SAFEs, preferred equity issuances and related financing tools.
  • Experience drafting transactional agreements and documents with efficiency and clarity, managing closings, working with Carta and/or other cap table management tools, and versatility with Excel.
• Additional experience with other broad-based aspects of corporate transactional law, such as:
  • Private funds, syndicated investment vehicles, and other pooled capital structures.
  • M&A transactions in the venture capital ecosystem. Drafting purchase and sale agreements, service level contracts, disclosure schedules, operating agreements and other general corporate/transactional work.
  • Experience drafting and reviewing loan agreements, security agreements and other financing documents.
  • Understanding the issues facing clients whose primary asset is intellectual property, including IP ownership, IP development, licensing agreements, tax matters, employee matters and similar concepts.
• Strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills. The ideal candidate has the ability to work as part of a team while also having the confidence and demeanor to assume individual responsibility for matters involving direct client interaction. This attorney will serve as business advisor to clients, guiding them in a full range of legal matters throughout their life cycle.
• Candidates must be currently licensed in Illinois or Colorado, or licensed in another state with a UBE score that qualifies in Illinois or Colorado for comity, be eligible to waive in, or be willing to sit for an upcoming IL or CO bar exam (open to relocation candidates that meet these requirements).
• Comprehensive benefit package and competitive salary - more info can be found here https://www.gouldratner.com/uploaded_images/GR-salary%20scale-benefits-page-2-01-21-25.pdf
• Emphasis on professional & business development.
• Low turnover, collegial and collaborative environment.
• Healthcare (medical, vision, dental), life and long-term disability insurance.
• Competitive compensation, benefits package including 401k and profit sharing.
• Paid primary and secondary caregiver leave.
• Pre-tax commuter benefits and wellness programs (e.g., in-office gym and massages; 24/7 tele-medicine).
• Hybrid in-office/remote role.