Intro description:
Legalist is a tech-enabled alternative asset manager that uses proprietary data-driven origination to invest in uncorrelated legal and government-payment assets. Founded out of Y Combinator in 2016, Legalist manages over $1.7 billion for endowments, foundations, and family offices.
Legalist is seeking a Head of Acquisitions to lead origination and execution for a new investment strategy focused on partnering with founder-led professional services businesses. This front-end role is responsible for sourcing opportunities, building founder relationships, evaluating acquisition targets, and driving transactions from first conversation through close.
Key Responsibilities
- Source and develop acquisition opportunities through direct outreach and relationship building
- Build trust with founders, operators, and intermediaries to generate proprietary deal flow
- Lead early-stage diligence, opportunity assessment, and transaction qualification
- Evaluate businesses across financial, operational, legal, and strategic dimensions
- Manage transactions from sourcing through diligence, negotiation, and close
- Develop investment recommendations and present to senior leadership
- Partner with legal, finance, and operating teams to ensure smooth execution
- Help refine acquisition strategy, target criteria, and repeatable deal processes
- Partner with leadership and operators of acquired businesses to support post-transaction integration, governance, and performance tracking
- Identify and drive operational improvements and growth initiatives across acquired firms, including monitoring KPIs, advising on strategic decisions, and supporting execution of value creation plans
Qualifications
- 8+ years of experience in M&A, private equity, principal investing, corporate development, investment banking, or a related transactional role
- Strong deal sourcing and origination capabilities with the ability to create opportunities
- Executive presence and credibility to engage directly with founders and senior operators
- Experience leading transactions from initial outreach through close
- Strong financial and commercial judgment with excellent negotiation and communication skills
- Comfortable operating independently in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Principal-level private equity experience with strong sourcing and execution exposure
- Background as a private equity or transactional attorney who transitioned into investing or deal execution
- Experience in search funds, independent sponsor models, or direct acquisition environments
- Track record working with founder-led businesses and lower middle market transactions