Global General Counsel

Withers; New York (NY); On-site; USD 350,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

Withers seeks an internationally experienced, US-qualified Global General Counsel to act as the firm's principal legal adviser. The role will shape a modern global function and advise on governance, partnerships, employment matters and major disputes.

The Global General Counsel will lead strategic legal initiatives, oversee litigation, regulatory matters and external counsel, and partner with risk and compliance to support the firm's international expansion and commercial success.

Qualifications

• US law qualification; dual qualification in England and Wales is advantageous.
• Ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practical advice.
• Excellent judgment, integrity, and commercial acumen.
• Significant experience managing cross-border legal issues, disputes, investigations, transactions, and other matters involving significant legal, financial, or reputational risk.
• Strong track record influencing and building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders including boards and regulators.
• Global outlook, cultural awareness, resilience, and adaptability.

Responsibilities

• Advise leadership on significant legal, ethical, reputational and commercial matters.
• Oversee maintenance of global partnership, governance and entity records and documentation.
• Build a pragmatic, commercially focused business partner legal function and manage external counsel relationships.
• Lead or oversee the US firm's response to disputes, investigations, regulatory matters and major claims.
• Advise on strategic initiatives including acquisitions, new jurisdictions and structural changes.
• Collaborate with risk, compliance, tech and data teams on issues relating to technology, cybersecurity, data governance and IP.

Skills

US legal qualification

Cross-border experience

Stakeholder management

Judgment

Global perspective

Analytical ability

Job description

The Opportunity

As Withers enters its next phase of growth and transformation under recently appointed leadership, we are seeking an internationally experienced, US-qualified Global General Counsel to act as the firm's principal legal adviser.

As Withers enters its next phase of growth and transformation under recently appointed leadership, we are seeking an internationally experienced, US-qualified Global General Counsel to act as the firm's principal legal adviser. This newly created role will provide strategic legal advice on all areas affecting the firm, the partners, and its reputation, including on partnership governance, partner and employment matters, sensitive internal disputes, commercial matters, and professional liability claims. The Global General Counsel will work closely with senior leadership to establish and shape a modern global legal function that supports the firm's continued international expansion.

Key Responsibilities

The Global General Counsel will provide strategic legal leadership across the firm, with primary responsibility for:

• Working with the firm's Corporate partners and the Global Risk & Compliance Director to support the governance and administration of Withers' global corporate structure
• Legally sensitive partnership and employment issues, including disputes
• Professional liability, malpractice, and other significant claims affecting the US business
• Legal support for strategic initiatives and organizational change
• Oversight of material litigation, investigations, and regulatory matters

The Global General Counsel will require an appreciation of the complexity of the firm's international structure and the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to its partnership and corporate entities. They will work closely with the firm's Risk & Compliance function, which leads new business intake, anti-money laundering, sanctions, broader economic crime compliance, enterprise risk management, and routine regulatory engagement. The role may also be asked to act as a director of one or more firm‑related entities.

Governance & Legal Leadership

• Advise leadership and governance bodies on significant legal, ethical, reputational, and commercial matters.
• Overseeing the maintenance and updating of global partnership, corporate governance and related entity records and documentation
• Develop reporting and governance frameworks that support informed decision-making and the management of privileged and sensitive matters.
• Build trusted relationships across the firm and establish the legal function as a pragmatic, commercially focused business partner
• Manage external counsel relationships and oversee legal spend, performance, and service quality.
• Promote a culture of ethical conduct, responsible decision‑making and sound risk management aligned with Withers' values and 5‑Star principles.
• Partner with the Risk & Compliance function on matters involving regulatory risk or engagement, enterprise risk management, professional indemnity insurance relationships, or new business intake or economic crime issues.

Litigation, Investigations & Claims

• Lead or oversee the US firm's response to significant disputes, litigation, professional liability and malpractice claims, regulatory inquiries, investigations and other legal proceedings.
• Advise on complex employment, partnership, disciplinary, grievance, whistleblowing and conduct matters requiring executive or Board-level attention
• Work closely with Risk & Compliance and insurers, brokers and external advisers on claims, coverage and material exposures.

Strategic & Commercial Matters

• Advise on partnership and corporate structures, governance arrangements, and related documentation.
• Support strategic initiatives, including acquisitions, combinations, office openings, entry into new jurisdictions, alternative business structures, and other transformational projects.
• Monitor and advise on legal and regulatory developments affecting the firm's business and operations.
• Lead or support negotiations relating to material commercial contracts, supplier arrangements and other strategically important third‑party relationships.
• Working alongside specialist technology, security and data teams, advise on legal issues relating to technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data governance, intellectual property, and digital innovation.

Qualifications And Experience

• A US legal qualification (dual qualification in England and Wales is advantageous).
• The ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, practice advice.
• Excellent judgment, integrity, and commercial acumen.
• Significant experience managing cross‑border legal issues, disputes, investigations, transactions, and other matters involving significant legal, financial, or reputational risk.
• A strong track record of influencing and building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, including boards, partners, regulators, insurers, auditors, financial institutions, external advisers, and business leaders across multiple functions.
• A global outlook, cultural awareness, resilience, and adaptability.

Compensation for this role will be commensurate with experience and set between $350,000 - $400,000.

About Withers

Today, we are a global law firm with annual revenues exceeding US $450 million and a presence across Europe, the US, Asia and offshore jurisdictions. Our clients have interests in more than 80 countries, requiring us to operate across multiple legal and regulatory frameworks while maintaining the highest standards of ethics, governance and professional responsibility. For over 130 years, our firm has focused on and helped successful people, families, entrepreneurs, family businesses, governments and institutions negotiate the wide range of legal issues they face in their business and personal lives. Over time, we have gained valuable insights into the ways wealth can be generated, preserved, deployed and enhanced. We assist our clients in a variety of industry sectors including real estate, manufacturing, motorsport, luxury brands, sport, hotels and hospitality, technology, energy, art and cultural assets, life sciences, charities and philanthropy and financial services. With 17 offices our experience means we can see the global picture. We provide legal advice across a range of different practice areas including estate planning, personal and corporate tax and, corporate, banking and finance, access to capital (both private and public) both equity and debt, real estate, intellectual property, immigration, international trust structuring, philanthropy, luxury assets, international probate, public international law and international arbitration.

Equal Opportunities