Nicole Cadman, the former general counsel at startup accelerator Y Combinator, has joined global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer as a Silicon Valley-based partner, the firm announced on Friday.
After nearly eight years with Y Combinator’s legal team, Cadman left in June and will now advise emerging companies and their founders on corporate matters like formation, financing, and deals, according to Freshfields.
In an email, Cadman explained that during her time as general counsel, she oversaw legal work related to Y Combinator’s portfolio companies and founders.
Since its founding in 2005, Y Combinator has invested in more than 5,000 companies, including notable names like Airbnb, Coinbase, and DoorDash, according to its website.
Cadman also noted the growing legal demand driven by the artificial intelligence boom. She mentioned that young companies now seek advisers who deeply understand their businesses and can scale legal advice as those companies grow.
Freshfields, which was founded in London and employs over 2,800 lawyers, has been expanding its presence in the U.S., launching its Silicon Valley office in 2020. Earlier in the week, the firm hired Kevin Yingling, a longtime Google lawyer, as an antitrust partner. Freshfields counts Google and other major tech companies among its key clients.
Before joining Y Combinator in 2016, Cadman worked at U.S. law firms Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Y Combinator did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
