Senior Venture Attorney

Vela Wood Staley Young; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Reasonable hours & real compensation

Aggressive bonus structure

Direct client interaction

Business development support

Firm-paid CLE and licensing fees

Unlimited vacation days

Excellent firm-paid medical/dental/vis

Matching 401(k)

Disability & life insurance

Paid Holidays

Paid Parental Leave

Work abroad opportunities

People-first culture

Job summary

Vela Wood seeks a seasoned attorney to manage venture transactions, from drafting documents to advising on strategic corporate matters for clients in Texas. You will lead venture capital financings (SAFE, convertible notes, equity), perform due diligence, advise both company- and investor-side matters, and mentor junior attorneys in a fast-paced, collaborative team.

This role offers meaningful client work, flexible hours, and opportunities for cross-border work and development within a

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Admission to the Texas bar.
• 5–8 years of venture law experience, preferably in a law firm.
• Familiarity with NVCA, Series Seed, SAFE and convertible note financing instruments.
• Experience drafting pro forma cap tables and financing models, including anti-dilution mechanics and post-money ownership calculations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Advanced legal research and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and in a small, fast-paced team.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality legal services and favorable client outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead venture capital transactions from early-stage to Series A and beyond.
• Advise on and draft documentation for company-side and investor-side transactions.
• Draft entity formation, governance, and organizational documents.
• Conduct due diligence and risk analysis.
• Support Senior Attorneys and Partners on day-to-day client requests.
• Mentor and develop junior attorneys.

Skills

Venture law experience

Due diligence

Negotiation

Communication skills

Independent work

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Texas Bar Admission

Tools

NVCA docs

Cap table modeling

Financing models

Convertible notes/SAFEs

Job description

About VW

Our mission is clear: to be the best company in Texas - by building genuine client relationships, embracing cutting-edge innovation, and creating life-enriching careers for our people. We're doing that by reimagining what professional services can look like, with proprietary technology, a people-first culture, and a fundamentally different approach to the practice of law. At Vela Wood, we measure success by lives improved, not just revenue generated.

About the Role

This position will be responsible for managing venture transactions, including drafting and reviewing legal documents, conducting due diligence, and advising clients on a variety of strategic corporate matters.

Key Responsibilities will include:

• Leading venture capital transactions, including SAFE, convertible note and equity financings, from early-stage to Series A and beyond.
• Advising on and drafting documentation for both company-side and investor-side transactions.
• Drafting entity formation, governance and organizational documents.
• Conducting due diligence processes and risk-analysis.
• Supporting Seniors and Partners on day-to-day client requests.
• Mentoring and developing junior attorneys.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Admission to the bar in Texas.
• 5-8 years of experience practicing venture law, preferably in a law firm setting.
• Familiarity with NVCA, Series Seed, SAFE and Convertible Note financing instruments.
• Experience with drafting pro forma cap tables and financing models, including anti-dilution mechanics, convertible note/SAFE conversions and post-money ownership calculations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Advanced legal research and writing skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a small, hands-on team in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to delivering high-quality legal services and achieving favorable outcomes for clients.

What We'll Provide You

• Reasonable hours, real compensation. We believe attorneys should have the flexibility to build successful careers while maintaining meaningful lives outside of work. Our model combines a sustainable billable expectation with significant upside for attorneys who choose to exceed it, creating an environment where balance and performance can coexist.
• Aggressive bonus structure and abundant opportunities to springboard your career!
• Direct client interaction.
• Support for business development activities.
• Firm covered CLE and licensing fees.
• Unlimited vacation days as long as billable hour goals are met.
• Excellent firm-paid medical/dental/vision insurance
• Matching 401(k) retirement plan
• Firm-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance, as well as life insurance
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave benefits
• Work abroad opportunities - including firm-subsidized work trips (Past trips were to Montreal, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, and Denmark!)
• A people-first culture that values trust, transparency, and collaboration over bureaucracy.

Vela Wood is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.