4 Steps to Hire a Chief Legal Officer
Define your company’s expectations and needs
Before hiring a Chief Legal Officer, define their expectations in the company. What does your ideal Chief Legal Officer job description look like?
The individual to be hired should be able to understand the company goals to accomplish them. The Chief Legal Officer’s responsibilities vary from one company to another, depending on the company’s purpose. Include these specific responsibilities in your Chief Legal Officer job description to only those who are qualified applicants.
Another important factor to consider is the needs of your company. Let’s say your company is looking to expand in size. Chief Legal Officers help in the growth and development of a company. By hiring a CLO, your company will maintain its reputational capital, increasing the company value. They will also decrease company issues and reduce the CEO’s workload and responsibilities to focus on the company’s many other aspects.
Define the position’s qualifications
Define the qualifications that candidates for the Chief Legal Officer position need to meet to apply for this position. These qualifications include education, skills, related experience, and personality traits.
CLOs should have a Juris Doctor and a state license to practice law.
Your new Chief Legal Officer should also have experience in keeping a board of directors, management, and other C-level executives informed on the changing laws that could positively and negatively affect the performance of a corporation. The years of experience required for this position may vary based on the size of your company.
A Chief Legal Officer must have certain personality traits that enable him or her to lead the company by advising other C-level employees successfully and board members on solutions to various risks and how to prevent them from occurring. These personality traits include being a self-starter, having strong communication skills, be articulate, determined, and have strong leadership skills.
Once you’ve determined what qualifications you’re looking for, make sure you include them in your Chief Legal Officer job description.
Leverage your network
Finding the right candidate can be as simple as asking around! Contact individuals within your field who have experience in filling the Chief Legal Officer position. Ask your professional connections for advice. You might be able to find a candidate that you would not have otherwise known about if you had not reached out to your professional connections. LinkedIn is a great and efficient tool that can be used to accomplish this!
Contact an executive search firm
If the process of hiring a CLO seems daunting, hire an executive search firm. Executive search firms search for experienced candidates that possess the skills and qualities your company is seeking. Executive search firms aim to understand your company and purpose to connect you with a wide array of candidates that are sure to fit your company’s needs.
Y Scouts is a purpose-based, performance-proven leadership search and development firm focused on transforming how people and organizations connect to work that matters. When you’re ready to hire a new leader, Contact Y Scouts. If you are looking for your next leadership role within a purpose-driven, performance-focused organization, please join the Y Scouts Leadership Community.
What’s Your Why? Click here if you’re an employer. Click here if you want to make a difference in a new role.
“Wow! You guys hit a home run. Really like the candidates from Y Scouts.” – Adam Goodman, President of Goodmans Interior Structures
“If you need a passionate leader, the approach Y Scouts takes will attract the right talent.” – Kevin Fallon McCarthy, McCarthy Law
“The approach Y Scouts took provided us with unique candidates that fit with our culture.” – Matt Altman, Co-Founder & Principal of Sportiqe Apparel