Our client, a rapidly scaling private investment firm, is seeking a Chief Legal Officer to serve as the senior-most legal leader and strategic advisor to the founders and executive team. This individual will play a critical role in helping institutionalize the firm, build infrastructure, and support continued growth across private equity and venture capital strategies.
Key Points
- Senior leadership role with significant visibility across the organization.
- Opportunity to help build and professionalize a rapidly growing investment platform.
- Highly entrepreneurial environment with direct interaction with founders and investment professionals.
- Looking for a builder, operator, and trusted advisor, not a pure legal technician.
Responsibilities
- Lead all legal matters across fund formation, transactions, governance, and corporate initiatives.
- Serve as the firm’s primary legal authority and strategic advisor to leadership.
- Build scalable legal, compliance, and governance infrastructure.
- Oversee outside counsel relationships and bring appropriate work in-house.
- Support regulatory readiness, SEC examinations, and compliance initiatives.
- Establish processes, accountability, and operational discipline across the organization.
- Provide practical, commercially minded guidance while appropriately managing legal and regulatory risk.
- Influence leadership and serve as an independent voice when necessary.
Qualifications
- J.D. and active bar membership.
- 20+ years of both top-tier law firm training with in-house leadership experience.
- Deep private equity and venture capital fund experience required.
- Strong transactional background including fund formation and complex investment structures.
- Experience with SEC examinations, compliance programs, and regulatory matters ideal.
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and operate in fast-paced environments.
- Strong judgment, executive presence, and commercial instincts.
- Hands-on mentality with a willingness to execute as well as lead.