Startup Counsel

Company Overview

Dover is building the marketplace for startup experts.

We connect high-growth startups with experienced operators across recruiting, HR, legal, and more. These are leaders who know what great looks like and deliver real business outcomes. Experts are trusted business partners who work directly with founders to build and scale companies.

As AI transforms how work gets done, the need for experienced operators who can drive execution, exercise judgment, and own outcomes has never been greater. Dover enables these experts to plug into the most ambitious startups exactly when they’re needed most.

Dover isn’t an agency, a firm. or a consultancy. Dover is a marketplace where startups and expert operators meet, collaborate, and build lasting working relationships.

Startups come to Dover to find and partner with exceptional operators through our marketplace.

Since Dover launched the marketplace in mid-2024, it has grown to support over 300 of the strongest early-stage tech companies in the world.

About the role

As a Startup Counsel, you will serve as a trusted legal partner to early-stage startups, helping them navigate critical moments from formation through scale.

You will operate on Dover’s marketplace as a fractional legal leader, working directly with founders and leadership teams to provide pragmatic, business-oriented legal guidance. This includes everything from incorporation and fundraising to contracts, hiring, and compliance.

You won’t just answer legal questions, you’ll help companies make better decisions.

Startup Counsel on Dover focus on high-impact advisory work and relationship-building, while collaborating with other experts on the platform (e.g., recruiting, HR, finance) to support the broader needs of their customers.

You have the flexibility to use your own tools, partner with preferred firms or vendors, or work within a company’s existing systems.

Startup Counsels start as independent contractors on the platform and have the option to join Dover full-time.

What you'll do

• Advise founders and leadership teams on a wide range of legal matters, including company formation, fundraising, governance, terms of service, cap table considerations, and compliance

• Draft, review, and negotiate key documents such as financing documents, employment agreements, and commercial contracts

• Serve as ongoing outside counsel to your customers, acting as a strategic thought partner rather than a transactional service provider

• Assist with immigration-related needs by coordinating with external counsel, tracking key dates, and helping teams understand options and requirements across jurisdictions.

• Help startups navigate complex decisions with clear, pragmatic legal guidance

• Collaborate with other Dover experts (e.g., finance, recruiting, HR) to support cross-functional company building

• Build strong, trusted relationships with founders and operators

What we're seeking

• 10–20+ years of legal experience, ideally with a mix of law firm and/or in-house experience

• Experience in core startup legal areas: incorporation, fundraising, contracts, employment basics, corporate governance, commercial contracts, and immigration coordination

• 3+ years working directly with startups or high-growth companies

• Experience working closely with founders and executive teams

• A pragmatic, business-oriented approach to legal problem-solving

• Excellent judgment and ability to balance risk with speed

• Comfortable operating independently and managing multiple customer relationships