Head of Legal jobs

Take the next step in your legal career with opportunities to lead at the highest level. Head of Legal jobs offer the chance to influence strategy, manage risk and guide organisations through complex legal and regulatory landscapes.

Shape your legal career at the top

As a Head of Legal, you’ll be more than a technical expert: you’ll be a strategic advisor, a leader and a trusted voice in the boardroom. These roles demand strong commercial awareness, exceptional leadership skills and the ability to balance risk with business objectives.

Latest in-house legal jobs

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Construction (in-house)
Permanent

Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel Join a fast-growing digital infrastructure business An international digital infrastructure company is seeking a Legal Counsel to support its continued expansion across Europe. Backed by a leading global investment platform, the business develops, acquires and operates large-scale data centre assets in high-growth markets. The organisation is led by an experienced team with extensive […]

Posted Posted 3 hours ago

Technology (in-house)

Senior Legal Counsel

Senior Legal Counsel | 3-5 PQE | Hybrid We’re partnering with an ambitious, fast-growing digital business to find a Senior Legal Counsel with a strong background in advertising, technology and data privacy. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a highly commercial legal team, advising across the UK and international markets on a broad range […]

Posted Posted 5 hours ago

Banking (in-house)
Permanent

Financial Crime Lawyer – Leading Institution

We’re currently working with a leading international financial institution that is looking to hire a Financial Crime Lawyer. This is an excellent opportunity for a lawyer with a strong financial crime advisory background to join a well-regarded legal team. The role involves advising on a broad range of AML, sanctions, CTF and anti-bribery and corruption […]

Posted Posted 1 day ago

FMCG
Permanent

Legal Counsel

Are you an employment lawyer looking to make your first move in-house, or seeking a role with greater commercial exposure and stakeholder engagement? We’re working with a leading international consumer business to appoint an Employment Counsel to support its UK operations. This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly regarded legal team, taking ownership […]

Posted Posted 2 days ago

Energy
Permanent

Project Counsel – Renewables

Counsel, Renewable Energy Projects Hybrid | U.S. & Canada Locations | Renewable Energy Development A leading North American renewable energy developer, owner, and operator is seeking a Counsel to support the development, financing, acquisition, construction, operation, and disposition of utility-scale renewable energy projects. This is an outstanding opportunity for an attorney who enjoys working across […]

Salary USD135000 – USD225000 per annum
Posted Posted 3 days ago

Energy
Permanent

Senior Counsel, Construction – Renewables

Senior Counsel, Procurement & Construction Renewable Energy | North America | Hybrid / Remote A leading North American renewable energy developer, owner, and operator is seeking a Senior Counsel, Procurement & Construction to join its growing legal team. This is an opportunity to support some of the largest utility-scale renewable energy projects across the U.S. […]

Salary USD150000 – USD260000 per annum
Posted Posted 3 days ago

Sports
Permanent

Senior Legal Counsel

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a market-leading international business operating across sports, entertainment, media, marketing and talent representation. With a global footprint spanning multiple continents and jurisdictions, the organisation partners with some of the world’s leading brands, rights holders, talent and commercial partners. The business has experienced significant growth in recent years through […]

Posted Posted 3 days ago

Pharmaceuticals/life sciences
Permanent

Corporate Counsel, Sec., M&A, CapM

Representing a publicly traded advanced materials company, we are proud to be leading the search for a Corporate Counsel, Securities, M&A & Corporate Development. This role will support SEC reporting, mergers and acquisitions and strategic transactions, corporate governance, and commercial legal matters at a growing NASDAQ listed public company. Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel […]

Salary USD200000 – USD250000 per annum + Bonus
Posted Posted 4 days ago

Real estate (in-house)
Permanent

Senior Real Estate Counsel

Representing a leading publicly traded REIT in Los Angeles, we are proud to be leading the search for a Senior Counsel, Real Estate. This role will serve as a strategic legal advisor across real estate transactions, property operations, leasing, asset management, and other ancillary real estate matters. This is a pivotal role offering the opportunity […]

Salary USD200000 – USD225000 per annum + Bonus
Posted Posted 4 days ago

Energy
Permanent

Securities & Corporate Governance Counsel

Representing a publicly traded clean energy technology company, we are proud to be leading the search for a Securities & Corporate Governance Counsel. This role will lead public company governance, securities compliance, board support, and strategic corporate transactions in a highly innovative business. This is a pivotal role offering the opportunity to influence governance practices, […]

Salary USD210000 – USD300000 per annum + Bonus
Posted Posted 4 days ago

Construction (in-house)
Permanent

Real Estate Counsel

A leading privately held real estate development and homebuilding organization is seeking a Real Estate Counsel to join its growing legal team in Houston. This attorney will play a critical role in supporting sophisticated land acquisition, development, financing, entitlement, and joint venture transactions across a rapidly expanding portfolio. This is an outstanding opportunity for a […]

Salary USD175000 – USD200000 per annum
Posted Posted 4 days ago

Management consulting
Permanent

Commercial Senior Legal Counsel

Leading professional services organisation seeks Senior Commercial Legal Counsel to join its highly regarded in-house legal team. The role can be based in London or across the regions, with flexible hybrid working available. This is an excellent opportunity to join a supportive and collaborative Office of General Counsel in a senior commercial role, working closely […]

Salary Excellent benefits package
Posted Posted 1 week ago

Head of Legal jobs across industries

We recruit Heads of Legal for organisations in financial services, technology, healthcare, energy and beyond. Whether you’re looking for a role in a multinational corporation or a high-growth scale-up, we can connect you with opportunities that match your experience and ambitions.

We also help senior legal professionals find General Counsel jobs.

What makes a successful Head of Legal?

Success in this role requires more than technical knowledge. The best Heads of Legal combine legal expertise with strategic thinking, influencing decisions at the highest level while building strong, collaborative teams. They understand the commercial drivers of the business and can translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable advice.

Why work with a specialist legal recruiter?

We understand the unique demands of senior legal roles and have the network to connect you with opportunities that aren’t advertised publicly. Our approach is confidential, consultative and focused on finding the right fit for your skills and career goals.

Meet the team

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Georgia Morgan-Wynne

Managing Director | Head of In-house Legal, Risk and Compliance | UK

London, UK

[email protected]

+44 20 7332 2482

Connect

Nikki Newton

Managing Director | In-house Legal | Banking and Financial Services

London, UK

[email protected]

+44 20 7332 2469

Connect

Sarah Ingwersen

Managing Director | Global Head of In-house Legal

China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Singapore, UAE, UK, US

[email protected]

+44 20 7332 2137

Connect

Samantha Fong

Partner | Head of Hong Kong and North Asia

China, Hong Kong

[email protected]

+852 3596 2867

Connect

Joyce Toeset

Executive Director | Europe

Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland

[email protected]

+31 61 507 7928

Connect

Mark Anderson

Senior Director | In-house Legal

UAE

[email protected]

+9714 549 3223

Connect

Tobias Herweijer

Senior Director | In-house Legal and Compliance

Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands

[email protected]

+31 62 166 3054

Connect

Aleea Cherry

Director | In-house Legal

[email protected]

+44 207 415 2828

Connect

Asha Morzaria

Director | Banking and Financal Services

[email protected]

+44 20 7415 2828

Connect

Davina Fisher

Director | In-house Legal

London, UK

[email protected]

+44 20 7332 2166

Connect

Emma Coulter

Director | In-house Legal

London, UK

[email protected]

+44 20 7332 2157

Connect

Hamish Richmond

Director | Head of Ireland

Ireland

[email protected]

+353 1 568 2835

Connect

Latest resources

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Professionals meet in person in an office

Talent is everywhere, access is not: Russell Johnstone on purposeful trusteeship

Posted September 9, 2026

Contents Share For Russell Johnstone, trusteeship is where senior commercial judgment meets social purpose. With a career advising some of the UK’s most prominent consumer, media and technology businesses, including as General Counsel for BT’s Consumer division, he now brings board-level judgment, regulatory fluency and commercial discipline to three organisations united by a powerful idea: […]

Close up of a woman at work, green shirt, making hand gestures

How data protection leaders can hold the C-suite’s attention

Posted September 4, 2026

Contents Share Key insights Executive attention is the scarcest resource a data protection function competes for. Winning the C-suite’s attention is often the easy part: a regulatory deadline or a data breach naturally puts privacy on the board agenda without any effort from the Data Protection Officer (DPO). Keeping that attention is what allows privacy programmes to grow beyond a team of one. Across data protection recruitment, the […]

How tech and life sciences companies should hire legal leaders for growth

Posted September 4, 2026

Contents Share Key insights High-growth companies rarely need the same legal function for long. A technology startup may initially need support with intellectual property and commercial contracts before enterprise growth, AI adoption or international expansion changes the legal brief. A life sciences company may move from fundraising and IP protection into clinical development, licensing and commercialization. The challenge is recognising when […]

Shot of a group of businesspeople having a meeting in an office

What does a data centre lawyer do? Understanding one of the legal market’s most elusive skill sets

Posted September 3, 2026

Contents Share Key insights What is the remit of a data centre lawyer? It is a question we are being asked with increasing frequency by C-suite leaders preparing to make their first General Counsel hire, by existing in-house legal teams assessing where their capability gaps lie, and by lawyers themselves trying to understand how to […]

Detail_Focused people working on laptops

Why more businesses are building in-house legal teams in UK regions

Posted September 2, 2026

Contents Share Key insights The UK’s in-house legal recruitment market has evolved significantly over the past decade. Businesses across Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and other major UK centres are building established legal functions, creating more choice over where organisations hire and where lawyers build their careers. This is not simply a shift away from London. It […]

Two people sitting across from the table from one another

Building a legal team? Why an interim General Counsel could be your first hire

Posted September 2, 2026

Contents Share Key insights For many growing businesses, hiring General Counsel and Legal Directors is a significant milestone. The challenge is knowing exactly when the business is ready for a permanent legal leader, understanding the difference between a General Counsel or Chief Legal Officer, and what that role should ultimately look like. Rather than recruiting […]

The skills company secretaries need to progress into senior roles

Posted July 28, 2026

Contents Share Key insights The company secretary role has always sat close to the boardroom, but the expectations placed on the function have changed considerably. Strong technical governance expertise remains essential, but it is no longer enough on its own. Today’s company secretaries are expected to help boards navigate regulation, stakeholder pressure, ESG scrutiny, technology […]

Businessman talking to colleagues in meeting

UK and Ireland in-house legal recruitment market update Q3

Posted July 13, 2026

Contents Key insights Corporate and commercial, London Banking and financial services, London Interim, London Regional UK Ireland Corporate and commercial, London Q2 saw confidence continue to build across the in-house legal market, although hiring remained measured and highly strategic. Businesses continue to navigate economic uncertainty, evolving regulation and rapid technological change, but there was greater […]

How in-house legal recruitment is changing in Toronto

Posted July 8, 2026

Contents Share Key insights Toronto remains one of Canada’s most active legal hiring markets, but the conversation has shifted. The biggest challenge facing employers is no longer simply finding legal talent. It is understanding what experienced in-house lawyers want from their next role and adapting hiring strategies accordingly. Across Canada, legal teams are taking on […]

Young woman working at home. She is sitting at the desk in the home office and looking at a laptop

How European regulatory change is reshaping legal hiring in private equity

Posted July 7, 2026

Contents Key insights European private equity has always operated across borders, but the challenges facing legal teams are changing. While navigating multiple jurisdictions remains important, the bigger issue for many investors, portfolio companies and management teams is preparing for a wave of regulatory developments that will shape transactions, governance and value creation over the coming […]

Print Factory Manager Meeting With Employees

What data centre investment means for infrastructure lawyers

Posted July 3, 2026

Contents Key insights Over the past decade, infrastructure investment has undergone a quiet but profound transformation. Traditionally anchored in assets such as roads, ports, and utilities, infrastructure funds are now allocating significant capital to digital assets: most notably, data centres. This shift has been driven by the exponential growth of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, streaming […]

Amsterdam city and canal scene (Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht),

European in-house legal market update Q3

Posted July 1, 2026

Contents Key insights Speaking with clients and candidates across Europe this quarter, there is a clear sense that in-house legal teams are operating in a more complex and more visible environment than even a year ago. Shifting regulation, geopolitical pressure and ongoing economic uncertainty are reshaping both hiring priorities and the role of legal within […]

Frequently asked questions about head of legal jobs

This section provides clear, concise answers to the most common queries about finding Heads of Legal jobs, helping you make informed decisions with confidence.

What experience is typically required for Head of Legal jobs?

Most roles require significant post-qualification experience, often 10+ years, with a strong track record in managing legal teams and advising on complex commercial, regulatory, and governance matters. Leadership skills and commercial awareness are essential.

How does a Head of Legal role differ from a General Counsel or CLO?

A Head of Legal usually focuses on leading the legal team and managing day-to-day operations. A General Counsel often acts as the primary legal advisor to the board and executive team, while a Chief Legal Officer typically has a broader strategic remit, influencing governance and risk at the highest level.

What’s the typical career path to becoming a Head of Legal?

Many Heads of Legal progress from senior Legal Counsel or team lead positions, gaining experience in managing people, handling complex transactions, and advising on strategic matters. Exposure to cross-border work and regulatory issues can also accelerate progression.

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