Legal Intern (Summer 2026)

Gusto • Denver, CO;San Francisco, CA;New York, NY • 1m ago

Why This Job is Featured on The SaaS Jobs

Legal & Compliance roles are increasingly central to SaaS companies as product development, data use, and AI features collide with privacy and advertising rules. This internship stands out in that it places legal work directly alongside technology-enabled workflows, reflecting how modern SaaS legal teams are evolving from reactive reviewers into partners shaping product and go-to-market decisions.

For a SaaS career, the value is breadth plus context. Exposure across privacy, product counseling, commercial agreements, and governance builds a practical understanding of how recurring-revenue businesses manage risk across the customer lifecycle—from acquisition claims to contractual obligations to platform compliance. The emphasis on experimenting with AI-assisted legal operations also mirrors a wider shift in SaaS toward automation, measurable process improvement, and cross-functional documentation.

This role fits early-career legal talent that prefers hands-on project work and wants proximity to product, engineering, and commercial stakeholders rather than a narrow research-only remit. It particularly suits someone motivated by translating complex requirements into workable guidance and interested in how in-house legal functions adapt their tooling and operating models in software companies.

The section above is editorial commentary from The SaaS Jobs, provided to help SaaS professionals understand the role in a broader industry context.

Job Description

About the Role:

This isn't your typical legal internship. Gusto’s Legal & Compliance (L&C) team is redefining what in-house legal looks like in the AI era and we’re looking for a Legal Intern who’s ready to help us build the future.

Over the course of a 12-week hybrid summer program, you’ll be embedded in a team that’s not just providing legal support. We’re pioneering new ways of working that blend legal excellence with cutting-edge technology. You’ll gain hands-on experience across multiple disciplines from privacy and product counseling to commercial transactions and corporate governance while also exploring how AI and automation are transforming legal practice.

If you’re a 1L who’s intellectually curious, tech-savvy, and driven to experiment at the intersection of law, innovation, and business, this is your opportunity to see what a modern legal career can look like.

About the Team:

Legal & Compliance partners with teams across Gusto to enable innovation, drive responsible growth, and guide Gusto through a dynamic regulatory environment. We’re builders at heart using creativity, technology, and deep legal judgment to help shape how legal teams can operate smarter, faster, and more collaboratively. Every team member is an owner, and every project is a chance to make a lasting impact.

Deadline to Apply: Friday, January 16th, 2026

Here’s what you’ll do day-to-day:

Tackle real projects with real impact. Research, draft, and advise on topics spanning privacy, AI, advertising, employment, intellectual property, and product compliance.
Work across disciplines. Partner with Product Counsel, Commercial Counsel, and cross-functional teams to translate complex legal issues into practical business guidance.
Experiment and innovate. Help design, test, and refine AI-assisted workflows that make legal processes more efficient and intelligent.
Build your craft. Develop your skills in legal research, writing, and contract drafting all while seeing how a world-class legal team operates in a fast-paced tech environment.
Shape the future of legal operations. Contribute to innovation projects and help document best practices that push the boundaries of what a tech-forward legal team can achieve.

Here’s what we're looking for:

Current 1L student at an accredited law school.
Exceptional legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
Curiosity about technology, AI, and how innovation can reshape legal work.
Strong communication skills able to translate complex concepts for non-legal audiences.
Highly organized with strong attention to detail.
Collaborative, proactive, and eager to learn from a multidisciplinary environment.
Must have U.S. work authorization; this role is not eligible for sponsorship.

Our cash compensation amount for this role is $38.00/hr in Denver and $45.00/hr in San Francisco & New York.

Apply