General Counsel job description.
The General Counsel serves as the organization's chief legal officer, overseeing all legal affairs, risk management, and regulatory compliance. They advise executive leadership and the board on legal strategy, manage outside counsel, and protect the organization from legal exposure.
The General Counsel job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: General Counsel Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
The General Counsel serves as the organization's chief legal officer, overseeing all legal affairs, risk management, and regulatory compliance. They advise executive leadership and the board on legal strategy, manage outside counsel, and protect the organization from legal exposure.
- Advise the CEO and board on legal risk and strategic decisions
- Oversee corporate governance, contracts, and regulatory compliance
- Manage litigation, disputes, and outside counsel relationships
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Chief Executive Officer
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Advise the CEO and board on legal risk and strategic decisions
- Oversee corporate governance, contracts, and regulatory compliance
- Manage litigation, disputes, and outside counsel relationships
- Lead the internal legal team and set department priorities
- Review and negotiate significant commercial agreements
- Monitor changes in law and regulation affecting the business
- Support M&A, financing, and other corporate transactions
- Establish policies to mitigate legal and compliance risk
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
- Current licensure/board certification as required by state and employer
- 10+ years of legal experience, including in-house or law firm leadership
- Strong knowledge of corporate, commercial, and employment law
- Prior experience as General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel
- Experience in a regulated or public company environment
- M&A and corporate transaction experience
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the General Counsel job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this General Counsel job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The executive band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Chief Executive Officer) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What bar admission requirements apply to a General Counsel?
- A General Counsel must hold current licensure or bar admission as required by the state and employer, and this varies by jurisdiction and industry.
- Does General Counsel typically manage an internal legal team?
- In most mid-size to large organizations, yes; the General Counsel leads and sets priorities for the internal legal department alongside managing outside counsel.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Attorney
An Attorney provides legal counsel and representation to clients, handling matters such as contracts, litigation, compliance, or negotiations depending on their practice area.
Chief Executive Officer
The CEO sets and executes the company's strategy, is accountable to the board, and represents the organisation externally.
Compliance Officer
A compliance officer ensures an organization operates within applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies.
This General Counsel job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.