How to Actually Find VC Legal Jobs in Germany

This is probably the most important part of the search.

VC legal teams run lean and hiring is infrequent. Even sizeable investment platforms may only have a handful of lawyers covering transactions, fund matters and regulation.

So rather than waiting for “Legal Counsel - Venture Capital” to appear on LinkedIn, it helps to approach your next move and career more strategically.

Start With the Funds You Already Advise

Our number one piece of advice to lawyers in private practice is simple:

If you already advise a VC fund or one of its portfolio companies, make sure you deliver - and get to know the people behind the work.

Don't become the Associate whose name the client never learns.

If you are supporting a financing round, fund formation or portfolio transaction, understand who is actually involved:

• General Counsel / Legal Counsel
• General Partner
• Investment Partner
• COO
• CFO

If those people have seen your work, trust your judgement and know how you operate when a deal becomes difficult, you are already in a very different position from somebody submitting a cold application.

This is particularly valuable in VC because relationships between funds, portfolio companies and external advisers often run across multiple investments and fund generations.

One of the strongest introductions you can have is simply:

“We've worked with this person before. They're excellent.”

Speak to Lawyers Already Working Fund-Side

One of the best sources of information is lawyers who have already made the move.

Identify people with titles such as:

• General Counsel
• Head of Legal
• Senior Legal Counsel
• Legal Counsel
• Legal & Compliance

You do not need to open with “Are you hiring?”

More useful questions are:

• How did you move fund-side?
• If your team hired another lawyer, what background would they most likely look for?
• Do you know which other funds in Germany are building out their legal teams?
• Would you mind introducing me to one or two people in the market who might be useful to speak with?

Germany's VC legal market is relatively small. One useful conversation can lead to another.

Tell the right Partner what move you want to make

If you are in private practice and feel comfortable doing so, let the Partner you work closely with know that moving in-house to a VC fund is something you would like to do next.

A good leader will often help enable that move. They may advise funds directly, hear about team build-outs early, or know when a client is considering bringing more legal capability in-house.

It can be as simple as saying:

“Longer term, I’d really like to move fund-side. If you hear of one of your VC clients building out Legal, I’d be very interested.”

That gives them something specific to keep in mind - and means you have someone senior in the market who already knows your work and can advocate for you when the right conversation comes up.

Speak to Portfolio General Counsel

Portfolio GCs can also be excellent contacts.

They regularly interact with investors around:

• financing rounds
• board matters
• shareholder consents
• M&A
• follow-on investment
• governance
• exits

As a result, they often have direct relationships with the investment team and sometimes with fund Legal.

If you are advising a portfolio company already, make sure the GC knows who you are - not just the Partner who owns the client relationship.

A strong recommendation from a portfolio GC can carry considerable weight.

Speak to Specialist Recruiters Before You Need a Job

A specialist recruiter with strong connections across the German VC and in-house legal market can be a useful source of information long before a role is advertised.

At Deep Blue, we have deep-rooted relationships across the German VC and wider investment ecosystem and are a preferred supplier to a number of funds and investment-backed businesses.

A few things worth doing:

• introduce yourself before you are actively looking
• explain the kind of fund-side move you ultimately want to make
• ask for a view on where your background is strongest and where the gaps are
• get advice on which types of funds or roles you should realistically target
• stay in touch periodically rather than only when a vacancy appears

There may not always be the right role immediately.

But being on the radar with people who are regularly in those conversations can be valuable when something relevant does come up.

Final Thoughts

VC legal hiring in Germany is a small market, and relationships matter.

The best opportunities will not always be advertised, so build your network early. Get to know the funds you already advise, speak to lawyers who have made the move, tell trusted Partners where you want to go, and build relationships with specialist recruiters who know the market.

At Deep Blue, we work closely with VC funds, investment-backed businesses and in-house legal teams across Germany. Even if there is no immediate role, being known by the right people can put you in a much stronger position when the right opportunity appears.