Commercial Legal Counsel

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About This Role

Tailscale, a remote-first software company founded in 2019 and supported by investors such as Accel, CRV, and Insight, is seeking a Commercial Legal Counsel. The organization builds secure networking and device connectivity tools utilized by individuals and global enterprises. Reporting directly to the Head of Legal, this remote position is suited for experienced commercial counsel, senior counsel, or a legal leader ready to oversee and scale the company's daily contracting…

Job Description

Responsibilities

• Own and negotiate enterprise customer, vendor, partner, marketplace, technology, data protection, and confidentiality agreements
• Advise sales and go-to-market teams regarding deal structures, contracting strategies, risk management, and escalations
• Translate complex legal matters into practical options to support timely decision-making
• Develop templates, playbooks, fallback positions, approval thresholds, intake processes, and self-service resources
• Collaborate with security, privacy, product, and engineering teams on customer commitments involving data, security, AI, and integrations
• Coordinate with finance and revenue operations on pricing terms, procurement, insurance, and revenue considerations
• Manage international transactions and collaborate with local outside counsel when specialized guidance is required
• Analyze negotiation patterns using data to enhance cycle times and internal or customer experiences

Requirements

• Law degree and active membership in at least one applicable bar or authorized to practice law
• Relevant experience advising technology companies on commercial transactions, including in-house or closely working with tech clients
• Experience scaling a legal function, contracting program, or business process within a high-growth or startup environment
• Ability to differentiate material business risks from matters managed through standard guardrails
• Demonstrated history of leading negotiations with sophisticated partners, customers, or vendors
• Clear communication skills with the capability to build trust across diverse teams
• Capacity to work independently, prioritize demands, and make progress with incomplete information

Qualifications

• Commercial experience involving cloud infrastructure, developer tools, networking, cybersecurity, SaaS, or open-source products
• Familiarity with enterprise sales, product-led growth, APIs, channel partnerships, or software marketplaces
• Knowledge of privacy, data protection, security, intellectual property, or product counseling in tech transactions
• Background supporting global customers or managing multi-jurisdictional legal advice
• Experience selecting or implementing contract lifecycle management tools or workflow automation
• Background in mentoring colleagues or defining priorities for a growing commercial legal team

Core Skills

Benefits

• Base salary between $187,000 and $234,000 USD per year
• Equity incentive plan
• Comprehensive group health, vision, and dental benefits with no waiting period
• Employer-matched retirement contributions up to 0.75 percent of eligible compensation
• Flexible paid time off program
• Professional development budget of $1,500 USD annually
• Build-your-own home office setup with a choice of laptop, monthly internet reimbursement, and $500 USD workstation stipend
• Paid parental leave providing up to 20 weeks for birthing parents and 16 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Opportunities to attend company retreats and team off-sites

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