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General Counsel Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

Your job description is the first touchpoint between your company and your new hire. With millions of people searching for jobs on Indeed each month, a great job description can help you attract the most qualified candidates to your open position. To get you started, here are some tips for creating an effective job description.

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General Counsel job title

A great job title typically includes a general term, level of experience and any special requirements. The general term will optimize your job title to show up in a general search for jobs of the same nature. The level of experience will help you attract the most qualified applicants by outlining the amount of responsibility and prior knowledge required. And if your position is specialized, consider including the specialization in the job title as well. But avoid using internal titles, abbreviations or acronyms to make sure people understand what your job posting is before clicking.

  • General Counsel
  • Assistant General Counsel
  • General Counsel (Health and Human Services Experience)
  • Corporate Counsel
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General Counsel Job Description Examples:

General Counsel job summary

A great job description starts with a compelling summary of the position and its role within your company. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position. Outline the types of activities and responsibilities required for the job so job seekers can determine if they are qualified, or if the job is a good fit.

Example of a General Counsel job summary

We are interested in hiring a General Counsel who can oversee the compliance and risk management activities for our organization, and advance the company’s position by publishing articles on legislation required to improve the industry. The successful candidate will be responsible for making sure that company contracts follow policies and legal guidelines. He or she will also work with our executive team to ensure that the company is always in compliance with industry employment and business process laws.

General Counsel responsibilities and duties

The responsibilities and duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you should outline the functions this position will perform on a regular basis, how the job functions within the organization and who the job reports to.

  • Provide accurate legal guidance to the executive staff on all matters that affect the company
  • Manage the compliance, risk management and legal services groups
  • Attend executive level meetings related to the future direction of the company, pending mergers and acquisitions, and changes in policy
  • Create vendor contracts and contractor agreements
  • Ensure that the company is in compliance with all current business process laws

General Counsel qualifications and skills

Next, outline the required and preferred skills for your position. This may include education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills. You may also include soft skills and personality traits that you envision for a successful hire. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many could dissuade qualified candidates from applying. Keep your list of qualifications concise, but provide enough detail with relevant keywords and terms.

  • Master’s Degree in Law required (J.D. preferred)
  • 10+ years’ legal practice experience
  • Proven understanding of national and international labor, trademark and copyright laws
  • Strong communication and organizational skills
  • Must be willing to travel one week out of each month
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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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