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.

Shot of a two confident business persons talking in the work place. Two colleagues using a digital tablet while walking in a modern office. Businessman and businesswoman in meeting discussing business strategy. Business coworkers working together in the office.

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

  • Financial services (in-house)
  • Permanent

In-House Corporate Real Estate Counsel

In-House Corporate Real Estate Counsel | European Investment Manager | London Title: Corporate Real Estate Lawyer (1-3 PQE) – In-House, European Real Estate Investment Manager Location: London (hybrid) About the business I’m partnering exclusively with a specialist European real estate investment and asset manager, headquartered in London with offices across eight European markets on a […]
  • Posted Posted 2 days ago

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  • Pharmaceuticals/life sciences
  • Fixed term contract

VP Legal / Senior Director Legal – 12-month FTC

VP Legal / Senior Director Legal – 12-month FTC London | Hybrid | Immediate start required Taylor Root is working with a rapidly growing, venture-backed TechBio business operating at the intersection of life sciences, artificial intelligence and data to appoint a senior legal leader for a 12-month maternity cover contract. This is a broad and […]
  • Posted Posted 3 days ago

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  • Financial services (in-house)
  • Permanent

Corporate Lawyer

The Client: A diversified global commercial and investment group are looking for a 5-9 PQE corporate lawyer to join their legal team. you will be responsible for a range of legal matters across the business. Working autonomously, you will advise on a wide spectrum of corporate and commercial matters that are critical to the business’s […]
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • Real estate (in-house)

Head of Legal – Digital Infrastructure

We are partnering with a leading investment-backed developer and operator of mission-critical infrastructure assets across the Asia-Pacific region. Due to continued growth and expansion, the business is seeking an experienced Head of Legal to lead legal matters across its regional platform. Reporting to senior leadership, you will serve as a trusted business partner, providing strategic […]
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • 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 […]
  • Salary Excellent benefits package
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • FinTech
  • Permanent

Global Fintech – Legal Counsel

I’m currently working with an exciting international fintech operating at the intersection of payments, technology and mobility. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a small, collaborative legal team in a broad, business-facing role with exposure to a wide range of commercial and strategic matters. It would suit someone looking to step into a highly […]
  • Salary Competitive benefits package
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • Energy
  • Permanent

Corporate, investments and M&A lawyers

Corporate, investments and M&A lawyers Are you an experienced M&A and corporate transactions lawyer looking to work on some of the most significant deals in the global energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors? Our clients, leading organisations across the Middle East’s energy and infrastructure landscape, are actively expanding their in-house legal teams. Whether you’re already based […]
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • Energy
  • Permanent

Legal Counsel / Senior Legal Counsel, Oil & Gas

Lawyers in-house, Oil & Gas Are you an experienced energy lawyer looking to work on some of the most significant projects and transactions in the global energy sector? Our clients, leading organisations across the Middle East’s energy and infrastructure landscape, are actively expanding their in-house legal teams. Whether you’re already based in the region or […]
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • Charity/non-profit/third sector
  • Permanent

Senior Legal Counsel

Join one of the UK’s most recognised and respected charities. We are partnering with a nationally renowned charity with a powerful mission and a significant impact on communities across the UK. This is an opportunity to join a highly regarded organisation where the legal team plays a critical role in supporting strategic decision-making and enabling […]
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • Energy
  • Permanent

Commercial Counsel

We’re working with an ambitious organisation seeking an experienced Commercial Counsel to provide pragmatic, business-focused legal advice across a broad range of commercial, procurement and contract matters. The Opportunity ✅ Draft, negotiate and advise on complex, high-value commercial and procurement agreements, including customer contracts ✅ Support strategic projects, supplier relationships and contract management ✅ Provide […]
  • Salary Competitive package
  • Posted Posted 1 week ago

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  • Telecommunications
  • Permanent

Legal Counsel (2 years’ PQE+)

Legal Counsel | Product & Technology | London | Hybrid (3 Days Office) 🚀 Looking to move beyond pure commercial contracts and get closer to product, technology and AI innovation? I’m partnering with a market-leading global technology business seeking a Legal Counsel (2+ PQE) to join its Product & Technology legal team. This is a […]
  • Posted Posted 2 weeks ago

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  • Education
  • Permanent

Director, Legal & Governance, Asia

Our client is an established international organisation seeking a senior legal professional to provide strategic legal, governance, compliance and risk leadership across Asia. This is a broad regional role partnering with senior business leaders on commercial matters, regulatory risk, disputes, governance, data protection and strategic transactions. Key Responsibilities Provide strategic legal advice across corporate, commercial, […]
  • Posted Posted 2 weeks ago

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Business partners on meeting in the office.

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.

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.

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Young asian woman working in a modern co-working office

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

Latest resources

Professionals in a team meeting

Broadening your perspective: Niro Dahanayake on growing through trusteeship

  • Posted October 8, 2026
Contents Share For Niro Dahanayake, Legal Director at Warner Bros. Discovery, trusteeship has been a chance to apply her legal skills beyond the corporate environment while supporting a cause she has long cared about.  Niro joined the board of Ealing Book Festival in 2024. The charity promotes the enjoyment of books, reading and writing across the […]
Business Meeting with Presenter in Modern Office Setting

AI for in-house legal teams: what works, what doesn’t and what’s next

  • Posted October 7, 2026
Contents Share Artificial intelligence has rapidly moved from an emerging technology to a strategic consideration for in-house legal teams. The conversation is no longer centred on whether lawyers should use AI, but on where it can deliver meaningful value, where caution is needed and how legal professionals can adapt as the technology evolves. At a […]
Young businessman gesturing to female coworker

Five capabilities that matter in a first General Counsel hire for life sciences

  • Posted October 7, 2026
Contents Share Key insights When a life sciences or pharmaceutical business is ready to make its first senior legal appointment, our in-house legal recruitment team helps leaders define the capabilities the role must cover before they go to market. A funding round, clinical milestone, licensing agreement or move towards commercialisation can all create pressure to […]
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Where are regional businesses struggling to hire lawyers?

  • Posted September 22, 2026
Contents Share Key insights The UK regional in-house legal market continues to evolve at pace. Over the last decade, businesses across Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and other regional centres have invested heavily in legal capability, creating increasingly sophisticated legal functions outside London.  While this growth has created exciting opportunities for lawyers, it has also intensified talent competition. Many employers are finding […]
Businesswoman sitting and traveling by train working on laptop. Business travel concept.

From General Counsel to CEO: how legal leaders can make the leap

  • Posted September 22, 2026
Contents Share Key insights Katherine Potter (Katie) has led a public company as CEO and served as General Counsel in listed and private equity-backed businesses. She explains why the move from legal adviser to business leader starts long before the title changes, and what ambitious GCs can do now to prepare for it. For many […]
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: […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
Shot of two businesspeople having a meeting in an office

The talent advantage in private equity exits

  • Posted August 28, 2026
Contents Share Key insights At a recent forum hosted with a leading mid-market private equity fund, portfolio company leaders were asked to identify their two biggest priorities when preparing for an exit or IPO. The results were fascinating. The overwhelming focus was on balancing exit preparation with business-as-usual delivery. Understandably, management teams are under immense […]

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.