ECVC Associate

Whistler Partners; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Whistler Partners is expanding its Emerging Companies & Venture Capital practice, advising founders, startups, venture-backed companies, and investors across the full corporate lifecycle in New York, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area.

The team delivers sophisticated venture work and long-term client relationships as companies grow from early financings to larger growth rounds.

Qualifications

• Corporate lawyers with meaningful experience in emerging companies, venture financings, startups, or related transactional work.
• Experience advising founders, venture-backed companies, or investors is particularly valuable.
• Mid-level and senior associates with strong transaction-management skills and direct client exposure are especially attractive.
• Select M&A or broader corporate lawyers may be considered for a retool where there is a credible technology or growth-company connection.

Responsibilities

• Assist with venture financings, governance, and general corporate counseling.
• Manage strategic transactions while working directly with founders, executives, boards, and investors.
• Progress toward partnership or senior in-house opportunities by building client relationships and taking ownership of matters.

Skills

Emerging companies

Venture financings

Startup experience

Transactional work

Job description

Whistler Partners is working with a leading national law firm expanding its Emerging Companies & Venture Capital practice across New York, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. The team advises founders, startups, venture-backed companies, and investors across the full corporate lifecycle, with clients spanning AI, defense tech, health tech, entertainment tech, and other high-growth industries. The practice is built around sophisticated venture work and long-term company relationships, giving lawyers the opportunity to advise clients as they move from early financings through later stages of growth.

Job Overview

The firm is hiring across associate levels, with a particular need for mid-level and senior lawyers who are ready to take greater ownership of their work. Associates handle venture financings, governance, general corporate counseling, and strategic transactions while working directly with founders, executives, boards, and investors. The role offers strong Series A, B, and C experience as well as the opportunity to remain involved with clients as their businesses become larger and more complex. The progression is important. More senior lawyers are expected to run transactions, manage client relationships, and become the trusted outside counsel companies rely on beyond a single financing. For senior associates who want to remain in private practice, that creates a meaningful path toward partnership. For lawyers who eventually want to become a General Counsel or senior in-house lawyer at a startup or technology company, the practice also creates the exact type of company-side experience and relationships that can open that door.

About You

• Corporate lawyer with meaningful experience in emerging companies, venture financings, startups, or related transactional work.
• Experience advising founders, venture-backed companies, or investors is particularly valuable.
• Candidates from both major law firms and smaller startup-focused practices will be considered.
• Mid-level and senior associates with strong transaction-management skills and direct client exposure are especially attractive.
• Select M&A or broader corporate lawyers may be considered for a retool where there is a credible technology or growth-company connection.
• Lawyers currently working in-house may also be considered for a return to private practice.

This is a strong fit for lawyers who want sophisticated venture work, closer founder relationships, more responsibility, and a clearer long-term path—whether that means building toward partnership or eventually moving into a senior in-house role.

Interested?

This search is being led by Allison Hill at Whistler Partners.

About Whistler Partners

Matchmakers, Not Headhunters

Whistler Partners is a boutique matchmaking firm focused on counseling the best and the brightest attorneys over the course of their careers. We believe that the right move comes from working closely with talent to curate their long-term career paths. When it comes to career advice, what matters is not the size of the agency but the strength of your individual recruiter. We readily admit that we are elite and only work with the best – after all, a little elitism is okay when it comes to your career.

Employers love us because we are picky about whom we represent, and attorneys love us because we get them their dream jobs.