Corporate & Commercial Lawyer – Startups and TechnologyCapital raises, M&A; and the commercial contracts that shape growing tech companies, with no timesheets. We're looking for a corporate and commercial lawyer with 3–6 years' PQE.

About Elevate LegalElevate Legal is a boutique corporate and commercial law firm in Melbourne, for founders and growing companies. We help them set up, raise capital, scale and exit, and we're on their side of the table when they negotiate deals with organisations much bigger than they are. We believe Aussie tech companies can conquer the world, and we back their founders for the long haul.

Most of our clients are Alliance subscription members, who pay a fixed monthly fee for their day-to-day commercial legal work. We also do projects such as capital raises and M&A; for their own fixed price. Because we don't charge by the hour, our lawyers don't keep timesheets or work to billable-hour targets.

We're a small team. Members deal with the same team of lawyers each time, who get to know their business. In this role you'll be one of those lawyers, working directly with our clients and our directors rather than as one associate among many.

The roleYou'll work on corporate transactions and commercial work for founders and growing companies, taking the lead on tasks, matters and client relationships as your experience develops. Prior experience in corporate transactions isn't essential.

Corporate transactions

- Capital raising: SAFEs, convertible notes and priced rounds, from pre-seed to later growth rounds,



and from term sheet through investor due diligence and binding agreements to completion
- M&A;: sale and purchase of private companies
- Corporate: company structuring, constitutions, shareholders' agreements, share capital, governance and directors' duties
- Employee equity plans and offers

Commercial work for Alliance members

- Taking calls directly from members and giving them a transparent steer they can act on
- Drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial and technology contracts (SaaS, licensing, distribution, enterprise deals), including negotiating with much bigger counterparties
- Consumer law, contract interpretation and other day-to-day commercial advice
- Employment contracts (not Award or Fair Work compliance, or employment disputes)
- Privacy and data protection advice
- Legal issues relating to the use of AI

You'll also help build the firm: networking with founders, investors and advisers, joining the directors on prospect calls and preparing proposals, and improving our processes, systems and AI tools.

About youEssential

- Admitted as an Australian lawyer, holding a Victorian practising certificate
- 3–6 years' PQE in commercial, corporate or technology law, in a firm or in-house




- Experience in either corporate transactions (capital raising, M&A;) or drafting and negotiating commercial contracts
- High-quality work without the fluff: we're a boutique firm, but our work stands up against the big firms on the other side of the table. You know the law, but also know how to focus on what matters and get it right
- You turn work around quickly and keep deals moving to completion
- Plain-language communication: you can explain legal issues in plain language to non-lawyers, and give a client advice they can act on after a short phone call
- You have or are committed to developing commercial judgement on which points matter: you confidently recommend which positions to hold and which to give away (and why)

Desirable

- SaaS, software licensing, AI or other technology transactions
- Experience negotiating commercial contracts with or for larger counterparties
- Privacy and data protection law as it applies to tech businesses (Australian Privacy Act, GDPR basics)
- Working with founders and growing companies, or in-house on either side of the table
- Fixed-fee or subscription legal services experience

What we offer
- No timesheets or billable-hour targets
- Ownership: every current team member holds equity in the firm, and new team members get a clear pathway and timeline to equity, agreed at offer
- A real say in building a different type of law firm: we're not hierarchical, and everyone contributes
- Hybrid working: 3 days a week in our Melbourne CBD office
- Salary negotiable based on experience

📌 Corporate & Commercial Lawyer – Startups and Technology (Melbourne)
🏢 Elevate Legal
📍 Melbourne