Legal Counsel (Startups) Cover Letter Examples & Writing Guide

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my strong interest in the Legal Counsel position at Stripe. With 5 years of fintech legal experience and passion for financial innovation, I am excited to support Stripe's mission to increase the GDP of the internet. In my current role at Square, I have successfully: • Advised product teams on payment processing regulations including PCI DSS, money transmission, and consumer protection laws • Supported new product launches in lending, banking, and cryptocurrency ensuring regulatory compliance across 50 states • Negotiated partnerships with financial institutions, card networks, and payment processors • Managed state money transmitter licensing and regulatory examinations • Developed compliance frameworks for emerging payment technologies including instant payments and embedded finance Stripe's vision to build economic infrastructure for the internet deeply resonates with me. I am particularly excited by Stripe's expansion into financial services and commitment to developer-first products. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my fintech legal expertise can support Stripe's continued growth. Sincerely, Emily Chen, J.D.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply for the Legal Counsel position at Figma. With 4 years of technology legal experience specializing in commercial contracts and data privacy, I am eager to support Figma's mission to make design accessible to everyone. At Notion, I have: • Negotiated enterprise software agreements with Fortune 500 customers including complex security and compliance requirements • Developed and maintained privacy program including GDPR, CCPA compliance, and international data transfers • Created scalable contract templates and self-service tools enabling sales velocity while managing risk • Advised product teams on data practices, AI features, and user-generated content policies • Supported strategic partnerships and integrations with major technology platforms Figma's collaborative approach to design and commitment to empowering creative professionals inspire me. I am particularly drawn to Figma's product-led growth model and strong design culture. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to Figma's legal team. Best regards, Michael Park, J.D.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to apply for the Senior Legal Counsel position at Databricks. With 6 years of experience supporting enterprise software sales and expertise in data and AI legal issues, I am excited to support Databricks' leadership in the data lakehouse category. At Snowflake, I have successfully: • Led legal support for enterprise sales closing 150+ deals annually with contract values up to $50M • Negotiated complex data processing agreements, security addenda, and compliance certifications (SOC 2, HIPAA, FedRAMP) • Developed AI and machine learning terms addressing model training, outputs, and intellectual property • Built and managed team of 3 commercial attorneys supporting North America sales • Created legal playbooks and training programs reducing deal cycle times by 25% Databricks' vision to unify data, analytics, and AI on a single platform truly excites me. I am particularly impressed by Databricks' open-source approach and commitment to the data community. I would be honored to discuss how my enterprise legal expertise can accelerate Databricks' growth. Sincerely, Sarah Williams, J.D.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply for the Legal Counsel position at Anthropic. With 5 years of technology policy experience and deep interest in AI safety, I am eager to support Anthropic's mission to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. At OpenAI, I have: • Advised on AI policy and regulatory strategy engaging with legislators, regulators, and civil society globally • Developed acceptable use policies and content moderation frameworks for foundation models • Supported responsible disclosure practices and AI red teaming initiatives • Negotiated enterprise agreements addressing AI liability, indemnification, and intellectual property • Contributed to industry AI governance initiatives including Partnership on AI and NIST AI RMF Anthropic's commitment to AI safety research and Constitutional AI methodology deeply resonates with me. I am particularly drawn to Anthropic's thoughtful approach to scaling AI capabilities responsibly. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how I can contribute to Anthropic's legal and policy work. Best regards, David Kim, J.D.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to express my interest in the Legal Counsel position at Canva. With 5 years of experience as startup counsel and expertise in international expansion, I am excited to support Canva's mission to empower the world to design. At Atlassian, I have: • Provided legal support for Asia-Pacific operations across Australia, Japan, Singapore, and emerging markets • Negotiated enterprise agreements with regional customers including government and financial services • Advised on local regulatory requirements including data localization, consumer protection, and competition law • Supported corporate structuring and compliance for regional subsidiaries • Managed relationships with local law firms ensuring consistent legal advice across jurisdictions Canva's vision to democratize design and strong Australian roots inspire me. I am particularly excited by Canva's rapid international growth and commitment to making design accessible globally. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how my regional legal expertise can support Canva's continued expansion. Sincerely, Jessica Wong, J.D.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am excited to apply for the Legal Counsel position focusing on employment and equity at Airtable. With 4 years of startup employment law experience and expertise in equity compensation, I am eager to support Airtable's people-first culture. At Coinbase, I have: • Advised on all aspects of employment law including hiring, performance management, and separations • Administered equity compensation programs including option grants, RSUs, and secondary sales • Managed 409A valuations, equity plan amendments, and SEC reporting requirements • Developed employment policies and handbooks ensuring compliance across 30+ states and 10 countries • Supported workforce planning including contractor classifications, immigration, and international hiring Airtable's mission to democratize software creation and commitment to employee experience resonate with me. I am particularly drawn to Airtable's collaborative culture and focus on enabling team productivity. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing how I can support Airtable's legal team. Best regards, Amanda Lee, J.D.

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to apply for the Legal Counsel position in Plaid's Regulatory & Compliance team. With 5 years of fintech regulatory experience and passion for financial inclusion, I am excited to support Plaid's mission to unlock financial freedom for everyone. At Robinhood, I have successfully: • Advised on regulatory compliance including SEC, FINRA, and state securities and money transmission requirements • Supported regulatory examinations and enforcement matters achieving favorable resolutions • Developed compliance policies for new products including cryptocurrency and banking features • Managed regulatory relationships with federal and state agencies across financial services • Advised on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regulations including FCRA, EFTA, and open banking rules Plaid's vision to enable innovation in financial services and commitment to consumer empowerment inspire me. I am particularly excited by Plaid's role in the open banking ecosystem and focus on financial data access. I would be honored to discuss how my regulatory expertise can support Plaid's continued growth. Sincerely, Robert Garcia, J.D.

Dear Founders, I am excited to apply for the General Counsel position at your Series B healthcare technology startup. With 6 years of healthcare legal experience and track record of building legal functions at growth-stage companies, I am eager to be your first legal hire. At my previous company (acquired for $500M), I built the legal function from scratch: • Joined as first legal hire at Series A, scaling legal support through IPO preparation • Established legal operations including contract management, compliance, and corporate governance • Negotiated partnerships with health systems, payers, and pharmaceutical companies • Developed HIPAA compliance program and supported SOC 2 and HITRUST certifications • Managed outside counsel spend ($2M budget) and built internal capabilities reducing reliance on external firms Building a legal function that enables rather than constrains business growth excites me. I am passionate about being a strategic partner to founders and creating scalable legal infrastructure for hypergrowth. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can build your legal function and support your mission to improve healthcare outcomes. Sincerely, Jennifer Martinez, J.D.