Commercial Counsel

Perplexity is looking for a dynamic and innovative attorney to join our small team to help advance the business, improve the products we’re building, and revolutionize the way people search and interact with the internet. This unique role offers significant responsibility to apply and strengthen your legal experience and offers growth potential in other areas of an in-house practice group.

This is a unique role at Perplexity AI within our rapidly growing AI technology company. This role will have a variety of responsibilities but we're seeking a sharp, innovative commercial attorney who combines strong business judgment with practical problem-solving abilities. You'll negotiate complex partnership, technology and infrastructure agreements while providing strategic counsel on legal risks across our rapidly growing business. The ideal candidate brings intellectual curiosity about AI technology, adaptability in an emerging regulatory landscape, and exceptional collaboration skills. Success in this role requires a deep understanding of high-growth startup environments, where you'll combine traditional legal expertise with sharp business risk assessment. As one of our first legal hires, you'll handle hands-on legal work while building scalable processes and managing key functions. We're looking for someone with strong commercial instincts, an entrepreneurial drive, and the agility to thrive in our fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements for AI infrastructure and partnerships
• Draft and negotiate commercial agreements - but also improve and maintain templates, playbooks, and processes for - partnerships, reseller arrangements, enterprise agreements, vendor contracts, DPAs, MSAs, and licensing arrangements
• Provide practical legal counsel to enterprise sales, product, engineering, and business teams
• Design and implement scalable legal processes and policies while building a global business
• Manage IP portfolio and data privacy compliance
• Assess legal risk and advise the business accordingly
• Monitor  and advise on evolving and emerging regulatory requirements and industry standards
• Support business teams on legal strategy for new product and feature launches

Qualifications

• JD and in good standing with an active US state bar membership
• 7+ years of law firm and/or in-house experience
• Track record of drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements
• Strong business acumen and ability to partner with business and technical teams
• An ability to communicate clearly with business and technical audiences and effectively translate legal concepts for non-lawyers
• Hands-on attitude to tackle projects large and small, low-ego approach to working across the organization
• Positive collaborative attitude, comfort with change and a fast pace, high level of integrity, and intellectual curiosity
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

Our cash compensation range for this role is $200,000 - $250,000.