Legal Counsel

Lightning AI•San Francisco, CA

10d•$180,000 - $220,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Lightning AI is the company behind PyTorch Lightning. Founded in 2019, we build an end-to-end platform for developing, training, and deploying AI systems—designed to take ideas from research to production with less friction. Through our merger with Voltage Park, a neocloud and AI Factory, Lightning AI combines developer-first software with cost-efficient, large-scale compute. Teams get the tools they need for experimentation, training, and production inference, with security, observability, and control built in. We serve solo researchers, startups, and large enterprises. Lightning AI operates globally with offices in New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and London, and is backed by Coatue, Index Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Firstminute. As we continue to expand our footprint, we are looking for a sharp, agile, and business-minded lawyer to join our lean legal team. You will be the primary engine behind our commercial contracting process. This is not a "siloed" role; you will be the cross-functional glue between Finance, Engineering, Sales, and Security, ensuring our legal strategy moves at the speed of our innovation. This is an ideal opportunity for a high-performing lawyer with a strong grasp of transactional fundamentals who is ready to "level up." While your primary focus will be owning the commercial contract lifecycle, you will have a front-row seat to the broader legal challenges of a hyper-growth AI company. You will be joining the Legal Team and report to our VP of Legal. This is a hybrid role based in our New York City office with in-office requirements of 2 days per week. The salary range for this role is $180,000-$220,000.

Requirements

3–5 years of legal practice, with a focus on commercial or corporate transactions.
A proven track record at a top-tier law firm, in-house at a high-growth tech company, or a strategic mix of both.
A deep understanding of technology transactions, including the nuances of IP licensing and data privacy provisions.
You are a confident negotiator who knows when to hold the line and when to find a creative solution to get the deal done.

Responsibilities

Lead the drafting and negotiation of a wide variety of contracts, including Master Service Agreements (MSAs), NDAs, Data Processing Addenda (DPAs), and vendor agreements.
Serve as the legal point of contact for CX, Sales, Engineering, and Finance teams to streamline deal cycles and mitigate risk.
Navigate complex technology transactions, specifically focusing on intellectual property rights and data privacy frameworks in the context of AI and cloud computing.
Beyond commercial matters, you will assist the VP of Legal on special projects, potentially spanning corporate governance, employment, and regulatory compliance as the company scales.

Benefits

We offer competitive base salaries and equity with a 25% one year cliff and monthly vesting thereafter. For our international employees, we work with our EOR to pay you in your local currency and provide equitable benefits across the globe.
Medical, dental and vision
Life and AD&D insurance
Flexible paid time off including winter closure
Paid family leave benefits
$500 monthly meal reimbursement, including groceries & food delivery services
$500 one time home office stipend
$1,000 annual learning & development stipend
100% Citibike membership (NYC only)
$45/month gym membership
Additional various medical and mental health services