Legal Counsel, Commercial

About Upstart

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.

As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 3,000 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.

We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.

If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

The Team

As a Legal Counsel, Commercial at Upstart, you will join a commercial legal team that is a strategic partner to the business, sitting at the intersection of cutting‑edge technology, product, and go‑to‑market execution. We structure and negotiate high‑impact commercial deals with partners and vendors that don’t just protect the company, but unlock revenue, accelerate product adoption, and deepen critical partnerships. By working hand‑in‑hand with Sales, Procurement, Product, and Finance, we drive clarity on risk, craft creative solutions to get complex deals over the finish line, and help shape how Upstart shows up in the market with our counterparties. This role will primarily support commercial legal work, with the opportunity to flex into supporting our Lending Partnerships team for a meaningful portion of time. It’s a chance to operate at a critical cross‑section of Upstart’s business, driving both commercial execution and the partnerships that power our AI lending platform.

How you’ll make an impact

• Serve as commercial counsel for vendor and general commercial contracts across Upstart - from inception to execution - including SaaS, data, auto dealer software, and other third‑party agreements, and provide practical, risk‑aligned guidance that keeps deals moving;

• Build a deep understanding of Upstart’s products and vendor ecosystem, and collaborate closely with Procurement, Third‑Party Risk Management, Information Security, Product, Finance, and other internal clients to understand and support their goals;

• Review, draft, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial agreements (including master service agreements, software licenses, SOWs, data protection agreements, professional services agreements, and other procurement contracts), using playbooks and templates while spotting when bespoke structuring is required;

• Drive efficient deal flow by triaging and managing tickets through tools like Zip and Ironclad, escalating issues to the right stakeholders, and helping streamline intake, approvals, and closing processes; and

• Help build and continuously improve the commercial legal function at Upstart by creating scalable playbooks, templates, and training for Procurement and business teams.

What we’re looking for:

Minimum Qualifications

• J.D. degree with solid academic credentials and an active state bar membership (NY or CA preferred);

• 5+ years of experience in a transactional practice at a law firm and/or in‑house, with a focus on technology and commercial contracts (SaaS, data, and other vendor agreements);

• Experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating complex SaaS and other technology/data agreements, ideally in a regulated industry or when contracting with regulated financial institutions;

• Ability to act as a negotiator on fast‑moving, complex deals, combining strong analytical judgment with high EQ to build consensus with internal and external stakeholders on tricky issues under timing pressure;

• Comfort working with privacy, security, and data‑use terms (including DPAs and information security exhibits), and collaborating with subject‑matter experts to resolve issues efficiently;

• Not just an issue‑spotter but an issue‑solver, with a “can‑do” mindset, a habit of moving quickly, and ownership to drive matters from start to finish; and

• Holds an exceptionally high bar for their own work product and seeks to work with teammates who operate at a similarly high standard.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior in‑house experience on high‑impact legal teams at a fintech, financial services, or technology company; start‑up or high‑growth company experience is a plus

• Experience leading and closing complex commercial negotiations (for example, strategic SaaS, data, or infrastructure vendor deals)

• Genuine curiosity about how Upstart’s business works and a desire to jump in cross‑functionally to help teams solve problems, even when the work sits outside traditional legal lanes

• Over time, a desire to mentor and collaborate with other members of the legal team, and to help build efficient, scalable processes as we grow and evolve

• Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to translate complex legal and risk concepts into clear, actionable guidance for non‑lawyers

• Eagerness to dive into new products, AI and data issues, and unfamiliar areas of law with a solutions‑oriented, low‑ego mindset

• Entrepreneurial drive who sees ambiguity as opportunity, and obstacles as chances to build new solutions

Position location This role is available in the following locations: Remote

Travel requirements As a digital first company, the majority of your work can be accomplished remotely. The majority of our employees can live and work anywhere in the U.S but are encouraged to to still spend high quality time in-person collaborating via regular onsites. The in-person sessions’ cadence varies depending on the team and role; most teams meet once or twice per quarter for 2-4 consecutive days at a time.

#LI-REMOTE

#LI-Associate

At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$152,000—$210,400 USD

At Upstart, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. The anticipated base salary for this position is expected to be within the below range. Your actual base pay will depend on your geographic location–with our “digital first” philosophy, Upstart uses compensation regions that vary depending on location. Individual pay is also determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).

Canada | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$152,000—$210,400 USD

What you'll love

At Upstart, our benefits are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect:

• Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly

• Retirement benefits to help you plan for the future, including a 401(k) or Group Retirement Savings Plan with a company match of $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 annually (USD in the US, CAD in Canada)

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees (US only)

• Comprehensive health coverage designed to support you and your family, including medical, dental, vision, and wellness resources for US and supplemental health coverage for Canada.

• Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans (US only)

• Income protection benefits, including life insurance and disability coverage for added financial security

• Paid time off, sick leave, and company holidays, in line with local requirements

• Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments (duration varies by country)

• Family-centered benefits to support fertility, parenthood, and caregiving needs

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering mental health support and life-centered resources

• Financial wellness resources, including access to financial planning tools and a financial concierge service (US Only)

• Annual wellness allowance to support your physical and emotional well-being and personal development, based on what matters most to you

• Annual productivity allowance to invest in relevant tools and resources you need to do your best work, no matter where you work from

• Connection and community through team events, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs)

• Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our offices in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!)

For roles based in Canada, please note that we are not currently able to hire in Quebec.

Upstart is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. Just as we are dedicated to improving access to affordable credit for all, we are committed to inclusive and fair hiring practices.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing an application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please email candidate_accommodations@upstart.com

https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy