Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Associate

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP; New York (NY); On-site; USD 260,000 - 365,000; Full time

Job summary

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP is seeking nimble associates with 3–5 years of venture capital experience to join our Venture Capital & Emerging Companies practice in New York. You will engage with startups, investors, and clients on complex financings, M&A, and governance matters.

Ideal candidates have strong drafting, negotiating, and team leadership skills, with a track record leading deal teams from inception through closing and experience with convertible notes, SAFEs, and cap table

Qualifications

• Three to five years of venture capital industry experience.
• Demonstrated ability to lead deal teams and transactions from inception through closing
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong client-facing skills with demonstrated ability to deal directly with clients
• Effective and efficient problem-solving capabilities with the ability to work independently and proactively, as well as develop creative solutions to meet client and team needs
• Excellent team player skills with the ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and the flexibility to engage and collaborate across the Firm’s capabilities and practice areas
• Advanced knowledge of Excel (including cap table, exit waterfall and other financial modeling tools)
• Advanced knowledge of Carta and other cap table management platforms, as well as digital closing management platforms
• New York Bar membership in good standing

Responsibilities

• Lead venture finance transactions from inception to closing.
• Provide strategic legal advice to startups and investors.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams on diligence and closing.

Skills

Venture capital experience

Lead deal teams

Written and verbal communication

Client-facing

Problem-solving

Team player

Excel

Carta

Cap table management platforms

Digtal closing management platforms

Tools

Carta

Cap table management platforms

Digital closing management platforms

Job description

Offices: New York Job Description Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is looking for nimble, innovation-oriented associates with three to five years of experience to join our Venture Capital & Emerging Companies practice. This is an exciting opportunity to join our rapidly growing national team. If you are entrepreneurially minded and a builder and are looking for a fast-moving, fast-growing team working with the next generation of startups and investors, we want to speak with you. Manatt’s unique professional services approach provides a combination of legal services and strategic business consulting services to advise our expanding client roster of venture capital and private equity firms, startup companies, and large corporate players. We develop deep relationships with these organizations to help guide them through a dynamic, ever-evolving legal and business landscape. In this role, you will actively engage with businesses to provide legal services and strategic advice, and participate in our comprehensive approach to helping clients grow and prosper. Manatt’s interdisciplinary and diverse team of lawyers, entrepreneurs, consultants, policy professionals and venture capitalists advise entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies and VCs across all stages of the complex corporate life cycle, from formation to funding to exit. Our practice serves buyers and sellers across all industries, especially digital health, fintech, crypto/Web3, gaming, media/entertainment, and consumer brands, as they navigate the worlds of venture finance, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions and other general corporate matters. We are looking for candidates with demonstrated experience leading venture finance transactions, M&A and corporate governance matters. We are also seeking candidates with fund formation and deal management experience. Ideal candidates will have strong familiarity with startup/financing documents, including convertible notes, SAFEs (simple agreements for future equity), priced equity rounds, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) model documents, SAFTs and Token offerings. Ideal candidates will also have solid transactional experience, negotiating with opposing counsel, and leading teams on diligence and closing transactions.

Requirements

• Three to five years of solid venture capital industry experience
• Demonstrated ability to lead deal teams and transactions from inception through closing
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong client-facing skills with demonstrated ability to deal directly with clients
• Effective and efficient problem-solving capabilities with the ability to work independently and proactively, as well as develop creative solutions to meet client and team needs
• Excellent team player skills with the ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and the flexibility to engage and collaborate across the Firm’s capabilities and practice areas
• Advanced knowledge of Excel (including cap table, exit waterfall and other financial modeling tools)
• Advanced knowledge of Carta and other cap table management platforms, as well as digital closing management platforms
• New York Bar membership in good standing

Benefits

• Additional medical, financial and/or other benefits will be offered dependent on the position

US Pay Range $260,000—$365,000 USD

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Fostering diversity and inclusion is one of Manatt’s core values and is fundamental to our organization’s continued progression. We believe a workforce that reflects the communities in which we live, work and serve enriches Manatt’s culture and enhances our ability to understand our clients’ needs and develop better, more impactful solutions. In collaboration with Firm leadership, our Diversity and Inclusion department drives the Firm’s efforts, engaging our legal, consulting, business, and administrative professionals to create and sustain a culture where we celebrate each of our unique experiences and contributions.

Manatt is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, physical or mental disability, religion, creed, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex or gender (including gender identity, gender expression, status as a transgender or transsexual individual, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), age (over 40), genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, sexual orientation, political activity or affiliation, genetic or and any other protected classes or characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Consistent with the American Disabilities Act, applicants may request accommodations needed to participate in the application process.

About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is a leading professional services firm, providing integrated legal and consulting services to a global client base. With offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento and Silicon Valley), New York (New York City and Albany), Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Boston, the Firm represents sophisticated clients — including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies — across a range of industry sectors such as health care; financial services; entertainment; digital and technology; and energy, environmental and real estate.

For more information, visit www.manatt.com.

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