# Senior Director - AI Commercial Counsel at Handshake

- Company: Handshake
- What the company does: Backed by Kleiner Perkins and Lightspeed.
- Company website: http://www.joinhandshake.com/
- Type: Startups (AI role)
- Level: Principal and up
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Work setup: On-site
- Pay: $276K to $345K base salary per year (USD)
- Posted: 2026-09-10
- Apply by: 2026-10-25
- Apply: https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/handshake/cd613f8d-a61c-4c2f-8e92-9064aa52099d
- Page: https://www.1752.vc/careers/jobs/handshake-senior-director-ai-commercial-counsel/

## About the role

Reporting to the General Counsel, you'll define and lead the commercial legal strategy for Handshake AI and Handshake AI Enterprise, with a focus on our most strategic frontier lab and enterprise customers. You'll serve as lead lawyer, strategic advisor, and deal quarterback on high-value, bespoke transactions.

## What they're looking for

- JD and active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar (California admission or eligibility to register as in-house counsel in California)
- 10+ years of combined legal experience, including law firm training and in-house experience at a sophisticated technology company
- A track record of structuring, negotiating, and closing complex, high-value commercial transactions with enterprise customers
- Deep experience with enterprise technology and data licensing, including data-use rights, IP, privacy, and security terms
- Exceptional commercial instinct and judgment, with the ability to identify what matters and calibrate risk to business objectives
- Executive presence and comfort with ambiguity, with the communication skills to earn trust with fast-moving internal teams and senior stakeholders

Tags: General & Administrative