What does an In-House Counsel do?
Of counsels are lawyers who have an affiliation and working relationship with a law firm, but do not hold a staff title such as partner or associate. They provide legal advice and guidance, often focused in their particular area of legal specialization. They are often enlisted to provide legal expertise to a certain business division or department, or to advise executives and other stakeholders. They sometimes work as an independent contractor, often maintaining a part-time schedule or serving as an occasional consultant as needed. Payment structures vary by firm and may include equity or profit-based compensation.
Of counsels are attorneys who have a J.D. degree and must have a valid license to practice law in their state. They have extensive legal experience and often have specialized expertise. These roles require strong communication and client relations skills.
- Ability to identify, evaluate, and provide risk-appropriate legal solutions to further the business.
- Work independently and assist the General Counsel as needed.
- Advise on legal issues involving government and regulatory compliance.
- Assist senior attorneys in resolving routine and novel legal questions.
- Identify and mitigate risks (legal, operational, reputational and other).
- Provide contract support to clients.
- Provide advice and guidance on legal and business-related issues to senior business leaders.
- Delegate to and provide support for any legal support staff.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of the end to end claims and label process.
- Implement regulatory change and support the delivery of strategic projects.
- Support legal projects being supervised by the General Counsel.
- Promote collaboration and assist others with their initiatives and efforts.
- Provide immediate onsite support for digital forensics and litigation support.
- We also assist many of our clients with permanent positions, including general counsel searches.
- Review and respond to customer, partner, or regulator inquiries as needed.
- Provide risk management analysis related to general business practices and monitors claims against or on behalf of the company.
- Establish and monitor relevant contracts and agreements.
- Juris Doctorate.
- Experience with FCPA, AML, and NDAS systems and software.
- Solid critical thinking and problem solving skills.
- Can strive for continuous improvement.
- Fluent in contract drafting.
- Demonstrated business acumen and sense of humor in difficult moments.
- Collaborative with clients, colleagues, and other necessary parties.
- Is a confident negotiator.
- Prior experience as a consultant.
How much does an In-House Counsel make near United States?
Base Pay
Additional Pay
$188,142
/ yrIn-House Counsel Career Path
Learn how to become an In-House Counsel, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
In-House Counsel Insights
FirstKey Homes“Real and tangible opportunities to advance your career and make an impact on the organization.”
ACAS-LAW“Extremely slow career growth and the remuneration is not sufficient to sustain someone hungry for growth.”
Authentic“This is growth opportunity and I recommend you make your own judgement if you have the opportunity to work here.”
Cenza Technologies“One of the best companies I’ve ever worked; Extremely organised and surprisingly very fun.”
Zeidler“Could be a good stepping stone to better career opportunities if you can deal with the cons.”
Cognizant Technology Solutions“Stable and good work life balance”
Bank of the Philippine Islands“Provides the best benefit and emphatic to employees”
Thompson Hine“Nice people but one particular partner gave a bad review because I raised what I believed to be a potential ethical issue.”
Frequently asked questions about the roles and responsibilities of an In-House Counsel
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