Legal · General Counsel
General Counsel and Head of Legal search.
Retained GC search for FTSE, regulated financial services, PE-backed and private companies.
What the role is
A short definition.
A General Counsel is the accountable legal leader for an organisation — combining commercial legal advice, regulatory compliance, governance, corporate transactions and, in most modern GC roles, direct responsibility for risk, ESG, data protection and increasingly AI governance. The role is board-facing, requires the commercial and stakeholder acumen of a senior executive, and sits alongside the CFO and CEO on the most consequential decisions.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Commercial legal leadership across contracts, corporate transactions, litigation and regulatory matters
- Governance and Company Secretariat (where combined)
- Regulatory engagement in regulated environments
- Risk, ESG, data protection and, increasingly, AI governance
- Building and retaining the in-house legal team
- Board and audit committee reporting
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
On a change of CEO or scale threshold where the founder’s external legal counsel is no longer sufficient; ahead of a listing, sale or major transaction; on a regulatory event or governance reset; when an existing GC moves on.
How we search for this role
The specific approach we take.
The strongest candidate pools depend on the client. For commercial-heavy roles: sitting GCs at comparable-scale businesses, Deputy GCs ready for the top seat, senior partners moving in-house from Magic Circle or Silver Circle firms. For regulated environments: former regulators, senior in-house counsel from comparable regulated firms. For PE-backed businesses: GCs with a track record through a full value-creation cycle including exit. Every search is retained and led personally by a named partner.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a General Counsel and a Head of Legal?
“General Counsel” typically indicates the board-facing accountable legal executive; “Head of Legal” often refers to a more operational role reporting to a GC or, in smaller businesses, functioning as the equivalent of a GC. We calibrate against client usage.
Do you recruit for PE-backed businesses?
Yes. PE-backed GC search is a distinct specialism — the profile calls for prior in-seat experience through a value-creation cycle, comfort with sponsor governance, and readiness to lead through an exit. We run these as part of our Sponsor Coverage practice where the mandate comes from the sponsor.
Do candidates need to be qualified in England and Wales?
For most UK-headquartered mandates, yes — or dual-qualified. For international group GC roles, jurisdiction requirements vary and we calibrate against the specific brief.
How long does a GC search take?
Twelve to sixteen weeks is typical, brief to accepted offer. Board-facing GC searches involving Chair or Audit Committee interview stages can run longer.
How is GC compensation structured?
Base, cash bonus and, in listed environments, LTIP or restricted stock. In PE-backed businesses, the LTIP is typically replaced with a management equity stake tied to exit. Compensation benchmarks vary widely by sector.
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