Commercial Counsel

Forage is building the modern payments stack that powers inclusive commerce. Our technology enables grocers, delivery platforms, and point-of-sale systems to seamlessly accept EBT payments both online and in-store. Beyond infrastructure, we’re helping SNAP EBT shoppers stretch their grocery budgets every week, making healthy food more affordable and accessible to the 42 million Americans on food assistance.​

Backed by leading fintech investors, Forage is a fast-growing startup with a clear vision and real-world impact, feeding tens of thousands of families daily. Our team is made up of kind, driven individuals who take ownership, move quickly, and collaborate closely. We value humility, curiosity, and a shared commitment to making a difference.​

We’re not just building payments infrastructure — we’re helping feed tens of thousands of families each day, and transforming grocery access for millions more. Watch our story and see why we do what we do.

• Build tech that matters. Play a direct role in putting food on the tables of millions of families, and help make grocery access more equitable through better payments infrastructure.
• Join a rocket ship with purpose. We’ve grown revenue 100x in two years, with the capital, traction, and runway to keep going — all while staying mission-first.
• Work with exceptional people. Collaborate daily with ‘Foragers’ from companies like Stripe, Instacart, Google, Affirm, Uber, and beyond — a tight-knit team with deep experience and low ego.
• Disrupt a massive market. Help modernize a $100B+ system and shape the future of inclusive commerce as we scale toward a $1B+ business.
• Accelerate your career. Thrive in a talent-dense environment backed by top investors in fintech (like Nyca, PayPal Ventures, and more), where ownership and growth are the norm.

We’re looking for a Commercial Counsel to join our lean Business Development team and play a critical role in structuring, negotiating, and closing commercial deals that fuel Forage’s growth. You’ll partner directly with our go-to-market, product, and leadership teams to draft and negotiate contracts with enterprise grocers, delivery platforms, processors, and technology partners. This is a high-impact role where you’ll help scale the business while building legal infrastructure that balances risk with speed.

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including SaaS agreements, licensing agreements, NDAs, vendor contracts, partnership agreements, and payment processing agreements.
  
  
• Partner with Sales, Business Development, and Product teams to enable and accelerate deals while protecting Forage’s interests.
  
  
• Build scalable playbooks, templates, and negotiation guidelines for the commercial contracting process.
  
  
• Advise cross-functional stakeholders on contract interpretation, risk allocation, and legal strategy in negotiations.
  
  
• Support the General Counsel with strategic initiatives, including compliance with payments regulations, privacy, and fintech/EBT industry requirements.
  
  
• Contribute to building a pragmatic, business-oriented Legal function that moves at the speed of a startup.

• J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar, preferably California.
  
  
• 4–6+ years of legal experience, with a mix of top law firm and in-house/startup experience strongly preferred.
  
  
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex technology and commercial contracts; fintech/payments or API-driven SaaS experience is a strong plus.
  
  
• Ability to translate legal risks into practical solutions for business partners.
  
  
• Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable operating in ambiguity, building processes from scratch, and rolling up your sleeves.
  
  
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence and partner across teams.

Your base salary would fall within the bands below. Please keep in mind that the equity portion of your offer is not included in these numbers and represents a significant part of your total compensation.

• Compensation: $180k-210k USD base + equity + benefits
• Meaningful work that makes a positive impact on our society.
• 100% of Medical, Dental and Vision premium coverage for yourself and dependents. 
• Enjoy regular team lunches at our San Francisco office, fostering collaboration and connection over great food.
• A fun and caring environment that prioritizes transparency, growth, and ownership.
• A talented, diverse, high-achieving, and humble team with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries at our headquarters in San Francisco, California. Individual pay is determined by work location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

We aim to review every application within 3 business days of submission and provide feedback on each of your interviews within 2 business days of completion. If you don't hear from us, please reach out to your recruiter or careers@joinforage.com directly to get an update on your candidacy. Max, our AI recruiter, may reach out with follow-up questions.  

Please note: We are not engaging with third-party recruiters or agencies for this role. We kindly ask that you refrain from contacting us regarding recruitment services.

Please note: Forage is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have work authorization that does not require visa sponsorship now or in the future.