What Does a General Counsel Do? Responsibilities, Salary, and Skills Explained

A General Counsel (GC) is a company’s chief legal officer, strategically guiding business decisions to mitigate risk and drive growth. Their role has evolved from purely legal advisor to a key business partner involved in core operational and strategic planning. The core function of a General Counsel is to balance legal compliance with business objectives, ensuring the company operates successfully within the law while pursuing innovation and growth.

What Are the Primary Responsibilities of a General Counsel?

The day-to-day duties of a General Counsel are multifaceted, extending far beyond traditional legal review. Based on our assessment of common role profiles, their responsibilities are typically organized into five key areas:

• Legal Team Leadership and Duty of Care: The GC manages the in-house legal team, providing the tools and infrastructure for success. A critical part of this is ensuring duty of care—a legal obligation to ensure the workplace adheres to health, safety, and employment laws—creating a compliant and productive working environment.
• Resource and Scope Management: They define the legal department's scope and secure the necessary resources, such as budget and technology, to perform effectively. This involves strategic planning to align the legal function with the company's long-term goals.
• Performance Measurement: General Counsels establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which are measurable values that demonstrate how effectively the legal department is achieving its key business objectives. These KPIs provide a transparent return on investment for the company.
• Regulatory and Ethical Guidance: They clearly communicate the regulatory and ethical requirements of the business to senior leadership (the board), explaining how these rules impact company progress and strategy.
• Risk Management Coordination: A GC creates a clear division between their work and other risk functions (like audit and operational risk) to ensure proper accountability for all risk assessment and mitigation procedures within the company.

How Does a General Counsel Add Value to a Business?

A General Counsel’s work typically generates value in three critical categories, transforming the legal department from a cost center into a strategic asset.

1. Proactive Risk Inspection and Management General Counsels dedicate significant time to risk management, identifying and assessing potential threats ranging from cyber attacks to geopolitical shifts. They go beyond monitoring by guiding the board to make sound decisions within predefined risk limits, protecting the company from costly legal disputes and reputational damage.

2. Efficient Legal Resource Management Similar to leaders in finance or HR, a GC is responsible for managing the legal department's resources. This includes outside counsel budgets and internal staffing. They create additional value by engaging with wider business opportunities and allocating resources strategically to support company initiatives.

3. Enabling the Business through Legal Frameworks Perhaps their most significant contribution is setting up systems that allow other teams to operate efficiently without constant legal intervention. For example, by creating a standardized contract framework for sales, the GC’s team can focus on higher-value work, thereby increasing overall organizational productivity.

What Core Skills Are Essential for a General Counsel?

Success in this role requires a unique blend of legal expertise and business acumen. The essential skills include:

• Holistic Business Understanding: Deep knowledge of daily operations, services, and the company's market position.
• Management Structure Proficiency: In-depth understanding of how the company is organized and functions.
• Conflict Identification: The ability to spot challenges and areas of conflict between different business units.
• Strategic Contribution: Strong skills in budgeting, strategy development, and people-planning.
• Leadership of Large Teams: Experience managing teams across multiple departments, understanding their specific tools and processes.
• Technical and Infrastructure Knowledge: Good grasp of knowledge management systems, training tools, and IT infrastructure.

What is the Typical Career Path and Salary for a General Counsel?

Becoming a General Counsel is highly competitive. The standard path requires being a fully qualified solicitor, often with a degree from a reputable university. In-house experience or a background in commercial law is highly preferable, as it aligns closely with the strategic nature of the GC role.

Given the seniority and responsibility, General Counsel commands a high salary. The following table provides a general salary range based on experience level, with figures converted to USD for a broader reference.

Salaries can exceed $250,000 for experienced GCs in large, multinational corporations. Figures are estimates and vary based on company size, location, and individual experience.

To excel as a General Counsel, focus on developing a strong blend of legal expertise and strategic business management skills. Gaining in-house experience is a critical step for understanding the operational pressures and opportunities within a business. For those on this career path, seeking mentorship from a current GC can provide invaluable, practical insights that bridge the gap between legal theory and corporate practice.