Litigation Counsel

Perplexity is an AI-powered answer engine founded in December 2022 and growing rapidly as one of the world’s leading AI platforms. Perplexity has raised over $1B in venture investment from some of the world’s most visionary and successful leaders, including Elad Gil, Daniel Gross, Jeff Bezos, Accel, IVP, NEA, NVIDIA, Samsung, and many more. Our objective is to build accurate, trustworthy AI that powers decision-making for people and assistive AI wherever decisions are being made. Throughout human history, change and innovation have always been driven by curious people. Today, curious people use Perplexity to answer more than 780 million queries every month–a number that’s growing rapidly for one simple reason: everyone can be curious.

Perplexity is looking for a dynamic and innovative attorney to join our small team to help advance the business, improve the products we’re building, and revolutionize the way people search and interact with the internet. This unique role offers significant responsibility to apply and strengthen your legal experience and offers growth potential in other areas of an in-house practice group.

About the Opportunity:

This is a unique role at Perplexity AI within our rapidly growing AI technology company. This role will have a variety of responsibilities but we're seeking a sharp, innovative litigation counsel who combines strong business judgment with practical problem-solving abilities. You will manage ligation files and pre-litigation disputes related to our AI answer engine, models, and technologies, and be responsible for working closely with our AI, engineering, and product teams to assess legal risks, develop litigation strategy, and provide guidance during disputes involving our products and services. The ideal candidate brings intellectual curiosity about AI technology, adaptability in an emerging landscape, and exceptional collaboration skills. Success in this role requires a deep understanding of high-growth startup environments, where you'll combine traditional legal expertise with sharp business risk assessment. We're seeking someone who is inquisitive, has an entrepreneurial drive, and the agility to thrive in our fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Manage litigation matters while developing comprehensive case strategies that align with business objectives.
• Manage and collaborate with external litigation counsel across all stages of disputes. Negotiate budgets, monitor performance, and ensure outside counsel delivers optimal results while maintaining cost efficiency.
• Partner closely with AI, product, and engineering teams to proactively identify litigation risks in product development and go-to-market strategies. Translate complex legal requirements into practical, actionable guidance for technical teams.
• Build internal litigation processes, policies, and tools that can scale efficiently with company growth.
• Work cross-functionally with teams to evaluate risk and provide forward-thinking counsel that helps the business navigate complex legal landscapes while maintaining competitive advantage.

What you’ll bring:

• JD and in good standing with an active US state bar membership
• At least 7+ years of law firm and/or in-house experience (with experience representing emerging technology companies preferred)
• Exceptional analytical skills, strong business acumen, and the ability to partner with business and technical teams
• Strong understanding of privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA/CPRA) and copyright law
• An ability to communicate clearly with business and technical audiences and effectively translate legal concepts for non-lawyers
• Hands-on attitude to tackle projects large and small, low-ego approach to working across the organization
• Positive collaborative attitude, comfort with change and a fast pace, high level of integrity, and intellectual curiosity
• Thrive working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment

Our cash compensation range for this role is $225,000 - $275,000.

Equity: In addition to the base salary, equity may be part of the total compensation package.

Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents. Includes a 401(k) plan.