General Counsel searches are unique in that specialized industry expertise is typically required, and they require more networking and sourcing than a lower level search in which qualified candidates might respond to a posting. Momentum has completed many dozens of general counsel/chief legal officer positions in Austin, Dallas, and Houston across multiple industries, including energy, upstream, mid-stream, and downstream oil and gas companies, oilfield services companies, healthcare providers, software companies, financial services companies, investment managers, and technology manufacturers, just to name a few.
Positions
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Why Momentum
Recruiting for and ultimately hiring legal talent for General Counsel may be challenging, but having prior knowledge of how an in-house legal and compliance department can operate most effectively helps us to swiftly identify individuals with the required abilities, expertise, and cultural compatibility for each organization.
Our experienced legal recruiters who specialize in in-house opportunities will also recognize that a firm requires an experienced lawyer with a good understanding of the company’s business objectives. In-house legal postings frequently necessitate broad national searches for these high-level jobs, or extremely specialized searches for candidates with industry-specific expertise. With decades of experience in General Counsel and in-house placements, here at Momentum we can rely on our vast network of legal professionals that spans across the nation.
The recent wave of tech companies moving from Silicon Valley to Austin, Texas, appears to be gaining momentum rather than slowing down, and these companies will continue to need help staffing their on-site legal departments as the migration continues.
Momentum has placed many chief legal officers and general counsels with privately-held, publicly-held, private-equity backed, and non-profit organizations throughout Texas and in multiple industries. We have an extensive network of senior legal talent that are suitable and interested in hearing about these types of roles. If you need a legal headhunter in Austin or any other city in Texas to assist in your company’s search for a general counsel, Momentum would be pleased to assist you.
Common Questions
What distinguishes a strong General Counsel candidate today, beyond legal background and years of experience?+
Employers often look for a candidate that has prior general counsel or management experience or managed direct reports. A strong general counsel candidate brings more than technical legal knowledge. For many companies, general counsel is expected to work closely with executives, manage internal or external legal resources, and provide practical judgment across a wide range of issues. Experience with boards of directors can also be important, especially for public, private equity-backed, or fast-growing companies.
How do you match a General Counsel candidate to a company’s specific needs and culture?+
We start by understanding what the company actually needs from its General Counsel. For example, a startup hiring its first GC may need a hands-on lawyer who can build the legal function from the ground up while a larger company may need a GC with deeper management experience or experience in a particular industry.
Culture matters because a general counsel works closely with leadership and often becomes one of the company’s most trusted advisors. We look at communication style, business judgment, management experience, risk tolerance, industry exposure, and whether the candidate has worked in an environment similar to the one they would be joining.
Do you recruit General Counsel candidates for companies of all sizes?+
Yes. While we often work for small to middle market companies, we recruit general counsel candidates for companies at many stages and sizes, including startups, middle market businesses, private companies, public companies, and private equity-backed businesses. Those searches often require a careful balance of legal skill, business judgment, leadership ability, and cultural alignment because the GC role can look very different from one company to another.
What industries do you specialize in when recruiting for General Counsel positions?+
Our work has taken us across a wide range of industries in the Texas market and beyond. We have handled a significant amount of work in industries such as financial services, energy, technology, oilfield services, retail, manufacturing, and real estate development. Legal recruiting is already a highly specialized niche, which is why understanding the legal role and the company’s business context is more important than applying a one-size-fits-all industry label.
Can you assist with succession planning for General Counsel roles?+
Yes. It’s good to have a search firm involved during a major transition since these searches can be especially sensitive. You may need to evaluate external candidates while also managing internal expectations, timing, and leadership continuity. We regularly assist with general counsel succession planning when the company may not want the broader organization to know about the search too early. We help manage that process carefully while identifying candidates who can support the company’s next stage of legal leadership.