About Upstart

At Upstart, we’re united by a mission that matters: to radically reduce the cost and complexity of borrowing for all Americans. Every day, we bring creativity, experimentation, and advanced AI to reshape access to credit, helping millions move forward financially with clarity and confidence.

As the leading AI lending marketplace, we partner with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit through technology that’s both radically intelligent and deeply human. Our platform runs over one million predictions per borrower using more than 1,800 signals, powering smarter, fairer decisions for millions of customers. But the numbers only hint at the impact. Every idea, every voice, and every contribution moves us closer to a world where credit never stands between people and their financial progress.

We’re proudly digital-first, giving most Upstarters the flexibility to do their best work from wherever they thrive, alongside teammates across 80+ cities in the US and Canada. Digital-first doesn’t mean distant. We’re intentional about in-person connection through team onsites, planning sessions, and moments that spark creativity and trust. And whether you choose to work primarily from home or collaborate in-person from one of our offices in Columbus, Austin, the Bay Area, or New York City (opening Summer 2026), you’ll have the support to work in the way that works best for you.

If you’re energized by tackling meaningful problems, excited to innovate with purpose, and motivated by work that truly matters, we’d love to hear from you.

The Team:

Upstart’s capital markets legal team is at the forefront of creating innovative deal structures that drive our business forward. We negotiate deals that push the envelope on deal terms in a thoughtful, strategic manner. By partnering with the capital markets business team, we exert a tremendous impact on the overall amount of funding that Upstart is able to obtain each year.

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.

How you’ll make an impact

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

Minimum 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 lawTeam 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 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.

#LI-REMOTE

#LI-MidSenior

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.

In addition, Upstart provides employees with target bonuses, equity compensation, and generous benefits packages (including medical, dental, vision, and 401k).

United States | Remote - Anticipated Base Salary Range

$144,000—$229,000 USD

What you'll love

At Upstart, our benefits are designed to support your health, financial well-being, family, and personal growth. Here’s what you can expect:

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!).

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]

https://www.upstart.com/candidate_privacy_policy

Legal Counsel Lead, Capital Markets

TLDR