Corporate Counsel

About the role

This role supports Semgrep's legal functions during a period of significant expansion. You will manage commercial transactions and collaborate with various teams in a fast-paced, technical environment. The position reports to the COO and works with the Fractional General Counsel and Legal Innovation and Contracts Manager to build efficient legal processes. You will be instrumental in scaling the company's legal infrastructure to match its rapid growth trajectory. The focus is on enabling the business through efficient and effective legal support rather than solely on traditional advisory work. You will operate with a high degree of ownership over critical commercial and operational legal workflows. Success in this role requires a blend of technical legal acumen and operational execution. You will be a key partner in ensuring the company can move quickly and securely.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead negotiations and finalize customer and vendor agreements, including SaaS, MSAs, DPAs, NDAs, and procurement contracts.
• Provide practical, solution-focused legal advice to internal teams, balancing business needs with legal risks.
• Develop and refine commercial legal operations, including contracting workflows, templates, playbooks, and approval systems.
• Explore and implement AI tools for legal workflows, such as contract review, playbook creation, knowledge management, and process automation.
• Advise internal teams on legal matters related to SaaS, data privacy, data security, AI, and intellectual property.
• Support Product, Security, and Engineering teams with customer-facing legal and compliance issues.
• Stay informed about new legal and regulatory developments in AI, developer tools, cybersecurity, and open-source software.
• Build strong relationships across departments and become a trusted advisor.
• Apply a generalist approach, adapting to various legal disciplines as required.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a high volume of contracts to support sales and engineering initiatives.
• Partner with Finance to ensure contracting processes align with revenue recognition and fiscal controls.
• Implement standardized clauses and contract components to improve consistency and reduce review time.
• Conduct training sessions for non-legal teams on contract terms and compliance fundamentals.
• Proactively identify legal risks in new product features or business initiatives and recommend mitigations.
• Manage external counsel relationships and coordinate specialized legal work as needed.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar, with a preference for California.
• 3-6 years of legal experience, including both law firm and in-house roles, ideally within a high-growth SaaS or technology company.
• Understanding of legal issues concerning data privacy, data security, software development, AI, and intellectual property.
• Experience with developer tools, cybersecurity, infrastructure software, intellectual property, and open-source software.
• Self-starter who is solution-oriented, a problem solver, and comfortable working independently while taking ownership of results.
• Highly responsive, quick to act, curious, and a clear communicator.
• Strong business judgment, providing practical and actionable guidance in dynamic environments.
• Enjoys creating new processes and improving systems.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States for this position without requiring work authorization sponsorship now or in the future.
• Current enrollment in a J.D. program or possession of a J.D. is mandatory for consideration.
• Active bar membership in good standing is a non-negotiable requirement for this role.
• The selected candidate must reside in or be willing to relocate to one of the approved US states listed in the practical notes.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-moving environment is essential.
• A proven track record of handling complex commercial contracts is required.
• Familiarity with technology transactions and software-as-a-service business models is necessary.
• Commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct is expected.
• Willingness to collaborate closely with engineering and product teams to understand technical concepts is required.
• The ability to interpret technical documentation and translate it into legal terms is a key competency.
• A valid driver's license may be required for occasional in-office presence in the San Francisco office.

Nice to have

• A history of implementing AI-based processes and legal technology.
• Naturally intellectually curious, thoughtful, and detail-oriented.
• Thrives in ambiguous environments with rapid growth and changing priorities.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving organization and collaborating cross-functionally to support company growth while managing risk.

Practical notes

• For US-based remote roles, hiring is currently available in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
• Semgrep offers competitive, market-aligned benefits that vary by location.
• Semgrep is an equal-opportunity employer.