Commercial Counsel
About Distyl AI
Distyl AI develops production-grade AI systems to power core operational workflows for Fortune 500 companies. Powered by a strategic partnership with OpenAI, in-house software accelerators, and deep enterprise AI expertise, we deliver working AI systems with rapid time to value – within a quarter.
Our products have helped Fortune 500 customers across diverse industries, from insurance and CPG to non-profits. As part of our team, you will help companies identify, build, and realize value from their GenAI investments, often for the first time. We are customer-centric, working backward from the customer’s problem and holding ourselves accountable for creating both financial impact and improving the lives of end-users.
Distyl is led by proven leaders from top companies like Palantir and Apple and is backed by Lightspeed, Khosla, Coatue, Dell Technologies Capital, Nat Friedman (Former CEO of GitHub), Brad Gerstner (Founder and CEO of Altimeter), and board members of over a dozen Fortune 500 companies.
What We Are Looking For
You will be our first legal hire to help enable fast, scalable, and compliant growth across commercial, product, and go-to-market functions. We are seeking a Commercial Legal Counsel who will own the legal dimension of how Distyl partners with customers, vendors, and strategic collaborators. This role exists to remove legal friction, unlock revenue, and safeguard the business—not just execute transactional work but to create systems and frameworks that allow Distyl to operate efficiently at scale.
This Counsel will be a trusted partner to the business, embedded with commercial, product, and operations teams, and will drive end-to-end legal outcomes that directly influence Distyl’s growth trajectory. Over the next 6–12 months, this person will establish repeatable legal processes for commercial contracts, lead risk-based negotiations on key deals, and help shape Distyl’s commercial contracting playbook.
Success in this role requires an operator mentality—someone comfortable with ambiguity, energized by solving unstructured problems, and capable of balancing speed with thoughtful risk management. You will have high autonomy, own key legal systems and strategies, and influence both internal processes and external legal outcomes. The individual who thrives here is a builder and strategist—capable of crafting scalable solutions and driving them through to real business impact.
Key Responsibilities
This role is defined by ownership of high-impact legal outcomes that directly enable revenue, strategic partnerships, and operational efficiency.
Own and drive Distyl’s commercial contracting framework (enterprise and partner agreements), ensuring repeatability, consistency, and legal defensibility at scale.
Lead contract negotiations end-to-end with strategic customers and partners, including drafting terms that balance business objectives with risk tolerance.
Design and implement scalable systems (templates, playbooks, workflows) that reduce cycle times and elevate legal quality across teams.
Partner closely with cross-functional stakeholders (Sales, Product, Finance) to align legal strategy with business objectives and to unblock deals.
Assess and manage legal risk in commercial and regulatory contexts, advising business partners with clarity and practical solutions.
Continuously improve internal standards, tooling, and best practices to support Distyl’s rapid growth while maintaining legal resilience.
What Success Looks Like in This Role
In the First 3 Months
You’ve established trust with GTM, Product, and Finance partners through proactive guidance.
You’ve audited current contracting practices and identified major friction points.
You’ve implemented baseline templates and playbooks for repeatable use.
By 6 Months
You’re independently leading negotiations on key commercial deals and reducing legal cycle times.
Sales and Business Dev teams consistently seek your input early in deal strategy.
You’ve delivered clear process improvements that measurably reduce risk or speed execution.
By 12 Months
You own Distyl’s commercial contracting motion end-to-end with minimal supervision.
Contracting is predictable and scalable via standards and automation where possible.
Business partners describe you as a strategic enabler who resolves legal challenges before they become blockers.
Who You Are
Required
J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar admission.
12+ years of experience in commercial contracts and corporate legal work (5+ in-house).
Proven track record leading end-to-end negotiations on complex commercial agreements.
Exceptional communicator (written and verbal) with the ability to translate legal risk into pragmatic business guidance.
Strong attention to detail and comfort operating in a fast-paced, high-ambiguity environment.
Demonstrated ability to build systems and processes that scale with the business.
Preferred
In-house experience at a high-growth technology company.
Experience with SaaS, enterprise, platform, or partner contracts.
Familiarity with legal tech tools, contract lifecycle management, or automation systems.
Prior exposure to product legal issues (e.g., data privacy, IP, compliance frameworks).
What We Offer
100% covered medical, dental, and vision for employees and dependents
401(k) with additional perks (e.g., commuter benefits, in‑office lunch)
Access to state‑of‑the‑art models, generous usage of modern AI tools, and real‑world business problems
Ownership of high‑impact projects across top enterprises
A mission‑driven, fast‑moving culture that prizes curiosity, pragmatism, and excellence
Distyl has offices in San Francisco and New York. This role follows a hybrid collaboration model with 3+ days per week (Tuesday–Thursday) in‑office.