The chief legal counsel job description explained

Chief legal counsel roles and responsibilities

The fundamental scope of a chief legal counsel position is to:
A chief legal counsel is also generally responsible for the governance of an organization including oversight of the work conducted by internal teams and external legal groups, and often makes decisions on litigation strategy on matters for which the organization retains external counsel. A chief legal counsel works with senior executives to provide advice and guidance on commercial contract requirements, strategy to advance the organization’s strategy and goals, and general corporate matters. An organization with a smaller in-house team (or no internal team) may involve a chief legal counsel more in the decision-making process for legal requirements such as the hiring of external counsel related to litigation matters, the engagement of legislative counsel, or in matters wherein a conflict of interest may occur as a result of an existing engagement (e.g., environmental counsel, real estate counsel, board legal counsel). A chief legal counsel is also responsible for the legal and regulatory obligations of an organization, which may include compliance with regulations and guidelines, corporate governance, and risk management. A chief legal counsel may draft or assist with the negotiation and finalization of agreements in support of the advancement of an organization’s strategy. In many cases, the individuals tasked with implementing the corporate strategy and goals may not have sufficient business acumen to develop the required agreements, or may lack sufficient experience to recognize when an agreement needs to be developed or revised . In some cases, the external resource may recommend that an in-house resource be hired that will serve as a liaison between the internal team and the third-party legal firm, regardless of whether or not the hire was made to directly replace an existing resource. In other cases, the external resource may request that the organization terminate its relationship with a third-party firm that has been used for a number of years (and the firm is well regarded) and replace it with a firm that the external resource has a relationship with. In this situation, there may be no termination of a relationship, merely the re-definition of the expectations or the successful execution of a contract or agreement. In these situations, it may be considered advantageous to have a chief legal counsel that can manage the expectations as well as independently negotiate the terms and conditions of the revised agreement. The hiring of external legal resources may occur either with or without the approval of a chief legal counsel. Internal teams may not have the resources (staff, budget, expertise, or experience) to effectively address existing legal matters or emerging risks, or to develop business-related legal matters (e.g., confidentiality agreements, licensing agreements, implementation agreements, or the negotiation and finalization of client or vendor agreements). Implementing and maintaining this role may require that an organization hire a chief legal counsel or create a committee that can manage such tasks in collaboration with an external resource to address an existing legal matter and to develop future legal matters. In a smaller organization that has no internal legal resources, this responsibility will typically be fulfilled by the CEO.

Requirements for a chief legal counsel

For individuals who aspire to be successful in the role of chief legal counsel, possessing a robust foundation in both educational and professional experience is important. Candidates who plan to pursue this type of high-level position generally hold an accredited law degree and have completed their state qualification exam. In many instances, a graduate degree is preferred. While the exact requirements may vary depending upon the specific field or nature of the practice, the majority of chief legal counselors specialize in areas such as business, civil litigation or taxation. Furthermore, annually maintaining the required number of continuing legal education (CLE) units or credits proves vital. Since the vast majority of chief legal counselors at virtual law firms have operated their own law practices, applicants should have a law practice management certification. The same applies to administrative functions, such as those for project management. Lastly, familiarity with the use of various software programs or systems may be essential for a prospective organization.

Skills needed to get as a chief legal counsel

The most critical skills required on a Chief Legal Counsel include:
Leadership – the ability to lead a skilled legal team that meets the needs of its client base.
Negotiation – the ability to broker the best deals and contracts for the organization.
Strategic Thinking – the ability to plan the goals of the legal department in accordance with overall organizational goals.
Conducting risk assessments of all operations – the ability to identify critical areas of risk for the role of legal and create action plans to mitigate those risks.
Litigation -it is important that Chief Legal Counsel stays up-to-date with the ever-changing laws and regulations, and has experience in litigation and dispute resolution.
Strategic Planning – the ability to plan the goals of the legal department in accordance with the overall organizational goals is essential.
These skills are required because Chief Legal Counsel are supposed to view and manage all departments of the organization from the legal risk perspective. It is imperative that Chief Legal Counsel are aware of legislation which is constantly changing. They must have in depth knowledge of all contracts signed, agreements made, local and state law, and negotiational transactions. Research shows that in the absence of risk management, defined accountability and coordination, there is a higher likelihood of non-compliance and issues arising which could have been avoided with proper management.

Industry variations for the chief legal counsel profession

The role of a chief legal counsel can vary drastically by industry. For example, technology companies are frequently involved in some of the most highly-technical and rapidly changing fields of law. Computer software, video game design, social media, and other technology-centric industries have a fairly high demand for outside legal services due to the diversity of the legal issues faced. For example, technology companies are frequently faced with intellectual property concerns such as data security or difficult software licensing agreements. With the recent surge in popularity of fintech and cryptocurrency, financial services companies find themselves increasingly in need of legal counsel with deep experience in the highly complex world of blockchain and cryptocurrency regulations . IoT (internet of things) devices that collect data pose novel challenges to consumer data privacy and security. Fintech companies must also confront compliance issues related to credit card, payment processing, and anti-money-laundering regulations. And of course, healthcare providers – hospitals, physicians, insurance companies, etc. – are routinely faced with privacy law issues (HIPAA). The coordinated care, reimbursement, and scheduling issues within the industry are also frequently the source of complex contract disputes. The variation in chief legal counsel job descriptions allows for a deeper understanding of what is required of your general counsel.

Career development and advancement

Chief legal counsels typically have a long career trajectory behind them before arriving at a position of this stature. To start down the path, many hiring companies look for candidates who have graduated from top law schools and have demonstrated superior performance both in the classroom and in their initial positions after passing the state bar exam.
After graduating from law school, many aspiring legal professionals spend a few important years in entry-level positions that include the role of an associate at a law firm. Others might work as in-house counsel for small or mid-sized businesses, or as attorneys in government agencies or court systems. Career advancement opportunities at these early-career stages include promotions for excellent work performance or moves to another company that has a more prominent role in the person’s target employment sector.
If practical experience proves successful, the aspiring legal professional will be in a position to move into a chief legal counsel position at some point. The opportunity could potentially arise at a company at which the legal professional already works or in a different business that has a higher corporate profile.
Attaining a chief legal counsel job is impressive, yet the job itself represents a pinnacle achievement that still requires dedication and perseverance.

Use of technology in the chief legal counsel role

As the business and legal environments evolve, so too does the legal operations management role. The tools and software you leverage in your day-to-day operations are increasingly important in improving your efficiency and productivity. As technology continues to impact the legal operations management role, it is essential that chief legal counsels stay on top of these developments and update their processes accordingly.
Technology is being used in a variety of different capacities throughout the legal counsel role, all with the aim of enhancing operational efficiency. One significant area where technology is being leveraged is in managing documents, especially when it comes to finding contracts, documents, and other data that may have been stored in different locations. Centralized legal management tools streamline the process of fact-finding and provide a single source of truth when it comes to all documents .
Cloud storage is having a similar effect in consolidating important data, as well as making it more accessible to legal teams, business owners, and business executives. The standardization of cloud tools like DocuSign are quickly becoming indispensable in legal teams across the world.
Software is also being developed for collaboration that use artificial intelligence to streamline tedious processes and make better decision-making possible. These AI tools allow legal teams to spend less time on menial tasks, such as reviewing contracts and performing due diligence, which in turn makes them more responsive and strategic.
By incorporating technology into your operations, you can help your team eliminate error-prone manual operations, reduce administrative burdens, and boost your overall efficiency. Technology also gives your team greater visibility on important metrics and allows you to allocate resources and tasks in a way that makes the most sense for your organization.