General Counsel

Los Angeles or San Francisco

Lowercarbon Capital backs kickass companies that make real money slashing CO2 emissions, sucking carbon out of the sky, and buying us time to unf**k the planet. We invest in early-stage companies that combine hard science with some bonkers ambitions to decarbonize all sectors of the economy, remove billions of tons of CO2 straight out of the atmosphere, and buy more time for people and ecosystems getting hit first and worst by rising temperatures.

We’re looking for a thoughtful, creative, and fast-moving General Counsel to oversee legal work across deal structuring, fund formation, compliance, risk management, intellectual property, employment, and the odds and ends that inevitably arise when you’re dealing with startups.

Responsibilities

As General Counsel, your time will be spent:

  • Directing the work of external counsel on new financings, including due diligence, term sheet negotiations, and closing transactions
  • Looking after Lowercarbon’s interests in the course of follow-on transactions across an existing portfolio of 100+ companies
  • Advising on all manner of negotiations that arise in a venture capital firm’s dealings with early-stage companies
  • Counseling on intellectual property issues related to both Lowercarbon and the companies we back
  • Spearheading the legal process around fund formation, from managing revisions to our limited partnership agreements with outside counsel to collaborating with the Head of Capital Formation to execute side letters
  • Supporting the GPs, SVP of Finance, and the Head of Capital Formation to advise on legal matters related to LP management
  • Leading all internal and regulatory compliance efforts, and updating the team on rules changes that may affect our investment strategy
  • Tracking annual filings, disclosure documents, and registrations and work with internal and outside partners to make sure we stay current with them
  • Ensuring that Lowercarbon is implementing best legal practices for internal HR and assisting in document preparation when necessary
  • Managing all internal legal work for Lowercarbon including any agreements relating to personnel, NDAs, vendors, and assorted commercial agreements.
  • Acting as the firm’s representative in any legal disputes, including arbitration or litigation, as needed.

Skills & Background

This list of qualifications is intended to highlight characteristics we believe are most essential to have immediate success in this role, but there is a wide range of potentially relevant professional and academic experiences.

  • Highly autonomous: You are comfortable working on and completing projects independently in a fast-paced environment. You are not afraid to ask questions, but err toward having hypotheses or recommendations ready to go alongside them.
  • Relevant experience: You have a J.D. from an accredited law school, are an active member of the Bar, and possess significant experience working in venture capital, startups, and related areas.
  • Creative thinker: You know the letter of the law but don’t apply it rotely. Instead, you seek to develop a holistic appreciation of the question at hand and how to solve it pragmatically.
  • Clear communicator: You have excellent written and verbal communication skills that allow you to succinctly convey complex ideas that keep people focused on the matter at hand.
  • Detail oriented: You take pride in paying attention to the little things and don’t presume the same about anyone else. When you say a document is ready to sign, it is with absolute confidence about what it contains.
  • Mission oriented: Last but not least, curiosity alone doesn’t drive you. You’re a climate-head motivated to address the challenge of our times. Comfort with technical subjects related to energy, industry, and other relevant sectors is also a plus.

How to Apply

If you’re interested in applying for this position, please submit an application here.

We believe diversity is a source of strength. Lowercarbon Capital is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Salary Range: $250,000–$350,000