[Hiring] Senior Legal Counsel, Capital Markets @Upstart

Role Description

As the Lead Counsel, Capital Markets at Upstart, you will work with counterparties across Upstart including members of the product, operations, compliance, accounting, tax, treasury and finance teams. You will work on bilateral deals, small club deals, broadly syndicated deals and everything in between.

• Support the capital markets and finance teams in purchase and sale agreements, securitization transactions, other liquidity arrangements and day-to-day operational and legal support.
• Review, draft and negotiate a variety of transactional documents opposite sophisticated institutional investors, including asset managers, private equity funds, hedge funds and pension funds.
• Manage deal flow and work with outside counsel in structuring and executing various securitization transactions, including pass-throughs and asset-backed securitizations.
• Collaborate with a variety of internal and external stakeholders (including other members of the legal team) as new products are launched, ensuring consistency across documents and providing subject matter expertise over capital markets and investor channels.
• Develop processes and maintain/improve templates for transactions to support and drive rapidly growing business.
• Partner with product-regulatory colleagues to anticipate and address regulatory cross-winds.
• Create internal education on a variety of legal risks.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree with solid academic credentials and a state bar membership.
• 12 years of work experience, including both large law firm and in-house experience (in structured finance, debt finance or similar).
• Self-starter who is comfortable working in a fast-moving environment with competing priorities and possesses a “can-do” attitude.
• Experienced in drafting and negotiating sophisticated transactional documents.
• Strong communication skills with a demonstrated ability to effectively and proactively provide quick, concise, and practical legal advice.
• Eager to develop expertise in new or unfamiliar products and areas of law.
• Team player – no egos.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience at a fintech company focused on lending/credit markets.
• CA or NY bar membership.
• Proven ability to develop scalable processes and procedures.

Position Location

Remote

Time Zone Requirements

The team operates on the East/West coast time zones.

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 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.

Salary and Compensation

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.

• Anticipated Base Salary Range: $144,000 — $229,000 USD.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, including base pay, bonus opportunities, and annual equity grants that vest quarterly.
• Generous 401(k) plan with Upstart matching $2 for every $1 contributed, up to $15,000 per year.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) with discounted stock purchase options for eligible employees.
• Affordable medical, dental, and vision coverage, with multiple plan options - Upstart covers 90% to 100% of the cost depending on the plans you choose.
• Health Savings Account contributions from Upstart for eligible plans.
• Income protection benefits, including company-paid Basic Life, AD&D, and Short- and Long-Term Disability coverage, with options to purchase supplemental coverage.
• Paid time off, sick and safe time, and company holidays.
• Paid family and parental leave to support caregiving and major life moments.
• Family-centered benefits through Carrot and Cleo, supporting fertility, parenthood, and caregiving.
• 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.
• 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 and onsites, all-company updates, and employee resource groups (ERGs).
• Onsite perks, including catered lunches and fully stocked micro-kitchens when working from one of our four offices, located in the Bay Area, Austin, Columbus, and New York City (opening Summer 2026!).

Equal Opportunity Employer

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 [email protected] .