General Counsel job description and career path

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About General Counsel

What does a General Counsel do?

Female secretary talking with boss in lawyer office

As General Counsels, we optimize organizational efficiency regarding legal matters. We examine and draft employment, real estate, and vendor contracts. We manage copyrights & trademarks and preserve business records such as resolutions and minutes of meetings. We are responsible for the negotiation and management of customer contracts, employee relations, and insurance matters.

Core tasks:

advising executive, management, and board on numerous matters such as legal rights and laws
managing firm's legal matters
examining and creating draft agreements such as vendor and employment agreements
maintaining knowledge of the firm's operations and legal documents
conducting legal research and reviewing the firm's litigation strategy about legal actions

Insights

Professional Growth

How Many Years of Experience Do Professionals Need Before Becoming General Counsel?

On average, people work 7+ years in other positions prior to becoming a General Counsel.

Professional Growth

How Long Do General Counsel Employees Typically Stay in Their Roles?

On average, General Counsels works in this position for 5+ years across multiple employers.

Professional Growth

What Is the Job Hopper Score for General Counsel Employees?

Frequent job changes in General Counsel, indicating a willingness to change companies and roles more frequently.

Career path

Path to job

Path after job

Community

Demographics

Culture & Values

What Is the Age and Gender Ratio of General Counsel Employees?

Gender ratio in General Counsel position: 0.72562893081761 Male and 0.27437106918239 Female. Age ratio in General Counsel position: 16-20: 1%, 21-30: 18%, 31-40: 43%, 41-50: 27%, 51-60: 9%, 60+: 2%. General Counsel position is predominantly male (72.6%) with the largest age group being 31-40 years old, followed by 41-50 years old.

Workplaces

Professional Growth

Who Are the Top Employers for General Counsel?

Top employers of General Counsel position: AIG, Citi, GE. People who work in General Counsel position most typically go on to work for the AIG.

AIG

Citi

Professional Growth

What Industries Does General Counsel Typically Have Experience In?

Industry Background: The most typical industries of General Counsel: Finance & Insurance, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Professional / Scientific / Technical, Public Administration. General Counsel employees most likely come from a Finance & Insurance industry background.

Find your job as General Counsel

Github

Principal Product Counsel

San Francisco, CA

about $89K / yr.

GitHub is seeking an experienced Principal Product Counsel to join its growing Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) team and provide frontline end-to-end support to our product development and engineering teams. This role will support a range of...

GPAC

Toxic Tort Attorney

San Francisco, CA

$129K-$158K / yr. (est.)

Job Posting: Experienced Toxic Tort Lawyer San Francisco Bay Area (Partner-Level Positions Available) Company: Established firm seeking experienced trial attorneys to join the firm. The firm values honesty and integrity, and appreciates people and...

Adapture Renewables, Inc.

Legal Counsel

Oakland, CA

$134K-$164K / yr. (est.)

Opportunity Adapture Renewables, Inc. is on a mission to be a leader in this new era of sustainable energy. Drawing upon an extensive knowledge base, we develop, finance, engineer, build, own, and operate high quality utility-scale photovoltaic projects...

Larson Maddox

Fully Remote - Employment Special Counsel

Remote

$93K-$114K / yr. (est.)

We have exclusively partnered with an AM 100 global law firm looking to hire a remote Employment Special Counsel. You will be exclusively handling Employment litigation cases with a large client pool of Fortune 500 companies. Qualifications: Minimum of...

Flynn Restaurant Group

Senior Counsel, Employment

San Francisco, CA

$165K-$195K / yr.

Flynn Restaurant Group seeks an exceptional Senior Counsel, Employment to join its industry-recognized legal team. Reporting to the Associate General Counsel, Employment, you will litigate and counsel, as well as support compliance efforts for the country...

Renew Financial

General Counsel

Oakland, CA

$250K-$350K / yr.

Renew Financial is a recognized industry leader providing financial access to sustainable building improvement projects. We are committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment where all employees are empowered to succeed, and...

RingCentral, Inc

Senior Employment Counsel

Belmont, CA

about $170K / yr.

This role is Hybrid, in office 30 business days per quarter, at our Belmont, CA headquarters. RingCentral is a $2B company, a global leader in cloud communications and collaboration software. We are fundamentally changing human interaction-enabling people...

Securian Financial Group

Advanced Sales Counsel

Remote

$112K-$137K / yr. (est.)

Are you a high-energy, collaborative individual who has a passion for supporting multiple distribution channels and product lines? This Advanced Sales role supports our Individual Solutions business with life insurance, annuities, financial planning...

Jobot

Product Counsel

San Francisco, CA

$180K-$250K / yr.

YC Startup ; B2B Payments This Jobot Job is hosted by: Jacquie Siegel Are you a fit? Easy Apply now by clicking the "Apply" button and sending us your resume. Salary: $180,000 - $250,000 per year A bit about us: We empower growing businesses by making...

Innova Solutions

Corporate Counsel

San Rafael, CA

about $80 / hr.

Innova Solutions is immediately hiring for a Corporate Counsel Position type: Full time Contract Duration: 12+ months Location: San Rafael, CA As a Corporate Counsel you will: Summary: This Corporate Counsel position is a mid-level to senior temporary...

TalentBurst, an Inc 5000 company

Corporate Counsel

San Rafael, CA

$128K-$157K / yr. (est.)

Corporate Counsel 06 Months San Rafael, CA This Corporate Counsel position is a mid-level to senior temporary position (5 to 10 years) in the Client Legal Department. The candidate will lead a template and playbooks project, being responsible for updating...

Axelon Services Corporation

Senior Attorney- Counsel

San Francisco, CA

$75-$80 / hr.

Job Title: Senior Attorney Pay Rate: $75-80/hr 90 Day Contract This role is remote anywhere in CA California Bar member Requirements: • Engaged legal professional: You’ll manage the entire legal process, from investigation and discovery though trial prep...

Jobot

Associate Attorney

Novato, CA

$125K-$150K / yr.

West Coast Firm + Complex Personal Injury + Wrongful Death + Record Success in Settlements + Benefits! This Jobot Job is hosted by: Paulo Valdez Are you a fit? Easy Apply now by clicking the "Apply" button and sending us your resume. Salary: $125,00...

Jobot

Attorney

San Francisco, CA

$170K-$190K / yr.

Insurance defense attorney with complete case handling responsibility from start to final resolution for insurance companies and self-insured entities. This Jobot Job is hosted by: Cam Strahm Are you a fit? Easy Apply now by clicking the "Apply" button and...

Aimic Inc

Associate Attorney

San Francisco, CA

about $135K / yr.

Real Estate Attorney Well-established, boutique real estate law firm has an immediate opening for litigation associates with 2 to 6 years of experience. The firm's practice includes a variety of real estate subjects, such as landlord-tenant, construction...

Grocery Outlet Inc.

Corporate Counsel

Emeryville, CA

$145K-$178K / yr. (est.)

Our Mission: Touching Lives for the Better Our Vision: Touching lives by being the first choice for bargain-minded consumers in the U.S. About the Team: Our legal team’s mission is to help our business succeed by mitigating risk and loss and insuring safe...

Opus Agency

Corporate Counsel

Emeryville, CA

$120K-$128K / yr.

Job Title: Corporate Counsel Group/Team: Legal Reports to: VP Legal Location: Beaverton, OR; Seattle, WA; Bay Area, CA; New York, NY; or Remote Employment Type: FT, Salaried, Exempt Travel Requirements: Less than 10% WHO WE ARE THE OPUS GROUP The Opus...

Nium

Corporate Counsel

San Francisco, CA

$220K-$280K / yr.

Nium, Global Leader in Payments Nium was founded on the mission to build the global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the on-demand economy, its single platform for global payments and card issuing is shaping how banks, fintechs...

JustAnswer

General Counsel

San Francisco, CA

$134K-$164K / yr. (est.)

About the Role The General Counsel will be responsible for building, managing, and leading our legal team, and setting the right foundations in place for continued growth. In this role the General Counsel will use their previous experience in a public tech...

Capcom USA

Corporate Counsel

San Francisco, CA

$135K-$170K / yr.

Description Opportunity to join the legal team of one of the most exciting companies in video game entertainment Corporate Counsel Position Reporting to the General Counsel, this highly visible position in a collegial, collaborative legal team is an...

Corporate Counsel

San Francisco, CA

$184K-$275K / yr.

Reddit is a community of communities where people can dive into anything through experiences built around their interests, hobbies, and passions. Our mission is to bring community, belonging, and empowerment to everyone in the world. Reddit users submit...

Discussion about General Counsel

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What type of certification do I need for General Counsel?

What responsibilities does a General Counsel have?

What kind of experience is needed to work as a General Counsel?

Is it possible to be a freelancer and work as a General Counsel at the same time?

Is the interview process long if you apply for a job as a General Counsel?

Is it hard to get a job as a General Counsel?

How should I picture the work environment for a General Counsel?

Is being a General Counsel lucrative?

What do people working as a General Counsel wear?

Are General Counsel jobs expected to grow in the near future?

What are the typical educational institutions where a General Counsel graduate?

Is General Counsel a female or male dominated profession?

Liam BrownFebruary 12, 2021

Mostly men choose this job, but women also choose this.

What is the most common age of a General Counsel?

Liam BrownFebruary 12, 2021

The typical age is 39 for a General Counsel.

Is a General Counsel considered to be a senior profession?

Isabella HolmesFebruary 12, 2021

You should work for 7 years on average to become a General Counsel.

Which industries does a General Counsel typically work in?

Sophie HayesFebruary 12, 2021

Manufacturing is typical for a General Counsel to work in.

Is a degree needed to work as a General Counsel?

Isabella HolmesFebruary 12, 2021

A Bachelor of Arts degree could not hurt if you want to be a General Counsel

Which company is likely to have openings for General Counsel positions?

Benjamin GardnerFebruary 12, 2021

It’s common for a General Counsel to work for AIG, Citi, GE, Indiana BMV and Travelers

How long do people usually work as a General Counsel when they switch to another position?

Liam BrownFebruary 12, 2021

More than 5 years is the typical lifespan for a General Counsel.

How common is it for a General Counsel to jump from company to company?

Liam BrownFebruary 12, 2021

A General Counsel is likely to work for multiple companies as a General Counsel.

What occupations do people usually work in before becoming a General Counsel?

Liam BrownFebruary 12, 2021

You have a good chance of becoming a General Counsel if you are working as Attorney, Associate General Counsel or Assistant General Counsel

If I’m working as a General Counsel, what next position could I have?

Benjamin GardnerFebruary 12, 2021

Attorney, VP General Counsel or Associate General Counsel can be a good next step

Don't Miss Out on the Perfect General Counsel job

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General Counsel

About General Counsel

Insights

Professional Growth

Professional Growth

Professional Growth

Career path

Path to job

Prior positions

Fields of study

Top educational institutions

Path after job

Subsequent positions

Community

Demographics

Culture & Values

Workplaces

Professional Growth

Professional Growth

Find your job as General Counsel

Discussion about General Counsel

Disclaimer