Sample In-House Legal Team Job Descriptions

Are you building out or growing your in-house legal team? After learning how to structure your legal team for success, it's time to hire. Leverage these sample in-house legal titles and role descriptions for your job postings. These descriptions detail role responsibilities, requirements, and qualifications for each position, enabling you to attract the right legal minds to safeguard your company’s interests and foster growth. Simplify your hiring process, save time, and discover the perfect fit for your in-house legal team with these job descriptions for corporate counsel, product counsel, associate general counsel, legal operations manager, and more.

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Assistant Product Counsel or Associate Product Counsel

Role Description:

As Associate Privacy and Product Counsel, you’ll have an opportunity to advise teams across our business on a wide range of privacy matters. You will help develop and scale our privacy program strategy. You will partner with cross-functional teams to incorporate privacy considerations into the design of new products and features. You will also assist the company in navigating complex privacy frameworks as it expands into new territories and new product lines. The ideal candidate is a team player with excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills and the ability to manage numerous matters and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of our privacy program in accordance with applicable privacy laws and regulations, including the California Consumer Privacy Act and the General Data Protection Regulation. 
• Provide guidance to product and engineering teams throughout the development lifecycle to minimize legal risks, respect consumer privacy, and advance business goals.
• Drive awareness on privacy and security issues with the development of training and guidelines that help business stakeholders understand and address data protection and privacy issues as they emerge in the development of new products and technologies.
• Work with outside counsel, combining their advice with your own analysis and feedback from internal stakeholders to provide practical guidance.

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing.
• 1-3 years of legal experience, preferably in a law firm or corporate legal department, with a focus on data privacy
• Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) preferred

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Assistant Commercial Counsel or Associate Commercial Counsel

Role Description:

As an Associate Commercial Counsel, you’ll have a broad range of responsibilities. You’ll draft and negotiate commercial partnerships, vendor, and sales agreements. You’ll help to maintain and update existing templates and contracting processes for our global products. You’ll make an immediate impact through sound business judgment and ability to translate business concepts to clear, legal drafting to protect the business and achieve business goals. This role is ideally suited for an individual who is eager to learn, has an ownership mentality, and thrives in a team-focused, fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities:

• Draft and negotiate a broad range of agreements, including sales, vendor, and partnership agreements.
• Maintain and update existing templates and contracting processes.
• Design, build, and improve legal department processes.
• Support and implement contracting strategies for new product launches.
• Support internal projects, trainings, and processes, and drive cross-functional efforts.

Requirements:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing.
• 2-3 years of prior experience, preferably with prior experience in technology transactions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience negotiating, drafting, and interpreting commercial agreements (sale and buy-side).
• Understanding of how legal terms translate to business impact.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to work well in a fast-paced team environment.

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Corporate Counsel

Role Description:

The Corporate Counsel will oversee matters related to corporate governance, overseas expansions, M&A activities, and compliance issues. The successful candidate will have a deep and nuanced understanding of our business and ensure we are in full compliance with all national and international laws and regulations.

Responsibilities:

• Own corporate governance efforts, maintaining training programs related to Company. policies and Code of Conduct for all domestic and international employees.
• Provide legal support over compliance initiatives.
• Support mergers and acquisition activity and financial transactions. 
• Manage global expansion and subsidiary management activities for all domestic and international subsidiaries.

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing.
• 4-6 years of corporate legal experience, preferably at least two years at a law firm and prior in-house experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a range of legal matters. 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to translate complex legal concepts into actionable advice for the business.
• Willingness to go high and low when tackling projects.
• Excellent team player with high IQ and EQ.

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Senior Counsel, Senior Corporate Counsel, Senior Litigation Counsel, Senior Commercial Counsel or Senior IP Counsel

For the Senior Counsel role, revise the job descriptions for the specialized counsel-level role (versus having the job description be overly generic) to include more responsibilities around leadership and owning the strategic direction on novel issues and projects. If this role is required to take on multiple functional areas, it’s a good idea to include details on each area and examples of responsibilities. 

If this will be a managerial role, there should be details on hiring and managing a team. If this will not be a management role, leave out any details on the ability to train and manage junior staff as it may set the wrong expectations.  

Associate General Counsel or Assistant General Counsel

Role Description:

As Associate General Counsel, you will play a vital role in some of the company’s most strategic priorities. In this role, you will provide strategic legal counsel, subject matter expertise, and thought partnership in corporate governance, transactional, and regulatory compliance matters. You will partner closely with department leaders to identify issues of the highest risk facing the organization and propose and drive solutions to address them.

Responsibilities:

• Provide counsel and advice to cross-functional stakeholders and senior leaders to set the company’s legal strategy on a broad range of matters related to new initiatives and products and other corporate, transactional, and regulatory matters.
• Oversee compliance with applicable laws and regulations and conduct legal research and analysis to stay current on changes that may impact the company and its subsidiaries.
• Manage federal and state regulatory strategy and compliance, and develop state-specific regulatory guidance.
• Partner with the HR team on global employment practices, employment handbook updates, compliance training, and new country expansions.   
• Oversee the improvement of legal department processes to increase efficiency and mitigate legal risks. 
• Hire, develop, and manage a team of high-performing individuals.
• Review and advise on a range of agreements, including corporate, employment, and commercial (buy and sell side) agreements. 

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing.
• 8-10 years of experience, preferably at least four years in an in-house role.
• Experience managing complex corporate, commercial, and regulatory legal matters.
• Proven ability to provide thought partnership and leadership in developing innovative legal and risk management strategies.
• Ability to tailor advice that’s well-calibrated to the most junior and senior levels of the organization.
• Proven ability in hiring and managing a team.

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Deputy General Counsel

Role Description:

The Deputy General Counsel will be a member of the Legal leadership team, assisting the General Counsel in all aspects of legal affairs. This role involves significant interaction with senior management, providing advice on a variety of legal issues, managing outside counsel, and leading internal teams.

Responsibilities:

• Assist in managing all operations within the legal department.
• Provide legal advice on a broad range of issues, influencing strategic decision-making.
• Assist with litigation strategy and manage outside counsel relationships.
• Mentor, guide, and manage legal staff.

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing.
• 12-15 years of legal experience, with substantial in-house experience.
• Proven leadership and management experience.

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VP of Legal

Take a deep dive into the VP of Legal role.

Role Description:

As the Vice President of Legal, you will serve as a strategic advisor to our organization, ensuring legal conformity and mitigating risks. Your role will include:

• Overseeing the legal aspects of our business.
• Providing legal guidance on company strategies and their implementation.
• Managing the work of external counsel.
• Leading the in-house legal team.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the delivery of legal services and resources to accomplish company goals, strategies, and priorities.
• Maintain a deep understanding of the company’s business and industry and provide leadership in strategic business decisions from a legal perspective.
• Manage a team of in-house counsel and support staff and coordinate with external lawyers and advisors.
• Ensure the company’s compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and standards in the United States and international jurisdictions where the company operates.
• Provide expert and strategic legal advice to management on a variety of legal topics, including contracts, litigation risks, business structure, labor laws, intellectual property, and regulatory matters.
• Draft, review, and negotiate major and critical contracts, including customer agreements, vendor contracts, partnership agreements, and employment contracts.
• Develop and lead corporate legal strategy to promote and protect the company’s matters.
• Implement effective risk management techniques and offer proactive advice on possible legal issues.
• Represent the company in legal proceedings.
• Develop and oversee the budget for the legal department.

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law in the state of [State] or eligible for in-state licensure.
• A minimum of 10 years of law practice experience is required, with a preference for a combination of law firm and in-house experience.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with a track record of building and leading a team of legal professionals.
• Exceptional negotiation skills with experience in managing complex deals and agreements.
• Proven experience in corporate governance, risk management, and compliance.
• Knowledge of statutes, rules, and regulations pertaining to businesses, particularly within [specify industry if applicable].
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to interface effectively with all levels of the organization and external parties.

General Counsel

Learn about the differences between the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel.

Role Description:

The General Counsel will set the long-term strategic vision, priorities, and budget for the Legal team, ensure that the company and its employees stay in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, advise and liaise with the Board of Directors and executive team on strategic initiatives, and handle most sensitive and important legal matters.

Responsibilities:

• Provide legal counsel to the executive team and the Board of Directors, including drafting and revising corporate policies, bylaws, minutes, agendas, and resolutions.
• Manage, develop, and mentor the legal team. Manage the department’s budget and spending.
• Oversee IP and litigation docket.
• Oversee M&A and strategic corporate initiatives.
• Advise the HR team on federal, multi-state, and international employment law. 
• Advise management and staff on legal issues related to programmatic initiatives.
• Oversee data privacy and security program, training, and compliance.  
• Support the development of training materials, guidance documents, and relevant employee and contractor training.
• Manage the organization’s insurance portfolio and intellectual property portfolio.
• Establish and manage relationships with outside counsel.

Qualifications:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Bar membership in good standing.
• Over 15 years of prior experience at a top law firm or in-house, including at least 5-years of prior in-house counsel experience.  
• Experience working with a global organization and familiarity with working cross-culturally and with those of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. 
• Ability to critically evaluate a wide range of issues and provide sound legal advice. 
• Ability to quickly take complex concepts and make difficult judgments in the best interests of the organization.
• Ability to convey information clearly, accurately, and appropriately to different audiences, including employees, senior leadership, and the public. Able to communicate legal findings and decisions briefly, simply, and persuasively.
• Ability to anticipate, de-escalate, and resolve disagreements and complaints in a practical and constructive manner in order to achieve results.
• Demonstrated ability to foster high-performing teams and develop and motivate staff with transparency and collaboration.
• Delegates skillfully. Inspires and motivates others to take action and meet goals, and holds the team accountable.
• Effectively manages a high volume of work through various methods of organization, project and task management, and prioritization as needs evolve.
• Ability to think strategically, anticipate potential problems, and design creative, out-of-the-box solutions.  
• Extremely strong business acumen.

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Legal Operations Manager

Role Description:

The Legal Operations Manager will be responsible for improving and maintaining operational processes within the legal department, supporting the General Counsel with budget planning, creating and managing processes, identifying and leading initiatives to improve legal team efficiency, implementing and managing the legal team’s technology stack, and ensuring effective communication between legal and business teams.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement scalable processes to improve legal team operations.
• Oversee budgeting, financial forecasting, and vendor management for the legal department.
• Run the RFP process for and Implement legal technology solutions, including intake and workflow management software, and manage the legal department’s contract databases.
• Coordinate legal projects and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate work assignments for the legal team.
• Create reports on the legal team’s performance and output and assist with workload management.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least three years prior work experience, including at least one year of prior experience in a legal operations or general operations role.
• Excellent project management and process improvement skills.
• Strong knowledge of legal department processes and technology solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Computer programming, business, and/or data science background is a plus.

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Interviewing for a legal operations professional role? Check out Streamline AI's interview guide for legal operations roles here.

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Contracts Manager

Role Description:

The Contracts Manager will be responsible for preparing, negotiating, and reviewing company contracts, including purchases, sales, and business partnerships. This role will ensure that the company’s contracts comply with laws and serve the company’s interests.

Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, negotiate, and administer contracts and agreements.
• Ensure that contracts are fully executed and in compliance with laws and regulations.
• Interpret contract requirements, manage contract performance, and ensure compliance with contractual terms.
• Coordinate with the legal department to resolve any legal issues.
• Maintain a database of the physical and digital records of all contracts and related documents.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business Administration, or related field.
• Proven experience as a Contracts Manager/Administrator.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills.
• In-depth knowledge of procurement regulations, contract agreements, and legal terminology.
• Proficiency with contract management software.

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Compliance Manager

Role Description:

The Compliance Manager will oversee and manage the compliance function within the organization, ensuring all departments are in line with current laws and regulations. This role involves creating, implementing, and maintaining policies to avoid legal and ethical breaches.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement the company’s contracts compliance program.
• Maintain and update the contract templates
• Draft and negotiate NDAs, vendor contracts 
• Monitor and report on the effectiveness of that program.
• Conduct internal reviews and audits.
• Educate and train employees on regulations and industry practices.
• Advise management on the company’s compliance with laws and regulations through detailed reports.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business Administration, or related field.
• At least three years of work experience, with at least one year reviewing and drafting contracts. 
• Highly detail-oriented and process-driven
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent knowledge of reporting procedures and record-keeping.
• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially.