Job Description Summary:

Fenwick is seeking a Startup Practice Support Lawyer (“PSL”) who will be responsible for providing substantive support to the largest practice area in the corporate group. Responsibilities include creating, distributing, and managing model documents and forms, curating and organizing content and knowledge resources for the practice area, implementing relevant technology, preparing and presenting training materials, and managing and drafting internal and external thought leadership content, each as described more fully below. This position can be based in any of our U.S. office locations.

Job Description:

Practice Area Support

Support the Startup practice area in organizing, reporting, implementing, and overseeing of practice area activities, including drafting agenda, scripts, slides and other materials for practice area meetings.

Model Documents and Forms

Create, develop, maintain, and digitize model documents, forms, precedents, drafting guidance, practice area resource materials, and similar specifications for the Startup practice area, in alignment with the practice area’s needs, including incorporation, financing, tender offer and SAFE documents.  

Resource Management

Ensure practice area content, precedents, and resource materials are up-to-date and readily accessible to attorneys on content sharing platforms, organize and curate practice sites to promote and make accessible the highest value content, and facilitate knowledge reuse. This will also include surveying precedent to create a database of sample documents from various deal structures and working with attorneys in other specialty areas.

Knowledge Management and Innovation  

Serve as a source of legal, market and practical expertise; regularly review internal and publicly available transaction agreements and market studies to identify market trends and best practices; keep current on relevant laws, including Delaware case law, regulations, and any other relevant guidance; respond timely to queries; inform the practice areas of substantive legal developments and update forms as needed based on such developments. Assist practitioners in locating practice-related internal and external knowledge resources and technologies.

Work with the Knowledge and Innovation team on the use of technology to make the practice more efficient, including but not limited to, piloting programs, implementing and driving adoption for tools.

Training

Facilitate, develop, and present integral substantive legal training programs for attorneys and paralegals and understand industry best practices.  Manage MCLE qualification coordination for practice area meetings.

Internal and External Content Development

Develop and maintain substantive content relevant to the Startup practice areas marketing and business development efforts, including articles, client alerts, client presentations, cases studies, market surveys and blogs.

Desired Skills and Qualifications

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position.

• Expert legal knowledge and practice skills in the Startup practice.
• Passion for delivery of legal services in new and innovative ways, pushing boundaries and leading thought in this area.
• Strong legal drafting, writing, and analysis, with attention to detail.
• Commitment to knowledge-sharing, efficiency and excellence in legal work.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with department personnel, Firm management, other attorneys and staff and aptitude for getting buy-in and consensus for change.
• Superior customer service ethic, communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to motivate participation in new systems, change behavior, and work seamlessly with and extract information at all levels from senior partners to busy administrative assistants.
• Highly organized, efficient, timely and extremely detail-oriented, and proactive, with ability to stay productive under pressure with tight deadlines.
• Exhibit high degree of initiative in managing multiple priorities and numerous ongoing projects simultaneously in a fast-paced work environment; ability to work with frequent interruptions and adapt to changes in workflow.
• Highly motivated, strategic focus: ability to understand and support Firm goals, services, culture and strategy in order to present self and the Firm in a positive, professional manner; understand and stays up to date on current legal market trends, news, and innovations in the Startup practice area.

Reporting to the Corporate Senior Practice Manager, the ideal candidate will have 4+ years of experience in a law firm in the Startup practice. J.D. required.

Benefits and Compensation Details:

At Fenwick, we believe that our partners and employees are our most important asset. Helping you and your families achieve and maintain good health - physical, emotional, and financial - is the reason we offer a comprehensive benefit program. We provide benefits to eligible employees under plans such as Healthcare, Life Insurance, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, and Wellbeing.

The anticipated range for this position is:

$190,000 - $267,250

Depending on the role, the actual base salary offered may depend upon a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held, and if applicable, the location in which the applicant lives and/or from which they will be performing the job.

A discretionary bonus for eligible employees may also be available based on performance.  Additional information about employee eligibility for benefits and discretionary bonus will be made available upon request.