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Chief Legal Officer in Los Angeles, CA

Chief Legal Officer Job Description

The chief legal officer is a senior executive responsible for overseeing and managing all legal affairs of the organization and aligning it with strategic business objectives. This role combines legal expertise with executive leadership, requiring the chief legal officer to provide counsel on complex legal matters while also contributing to high-level corporate decision-making. The chief legal officer works closely with the board of directors, CEO, and other C-suite executives to shape company strategy, manage risk, and ensure ethical business practices. They are responsible for developing and implementing the overall legal strategy, overseeing corporate governance, and navigating regulatory challenges across all jurisdictions where the company operates.The chief legal officer position demands exceptional legal acumen and strong business and leadership skills. A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school and an active state bar license are mandatory requirements. The level of experience needed can vary based on company size and complexity, with large public companies often seeking candidates with 15 to 20 years of experience and smaller organizations often considering those with 10 or more years. Expertise in corporate governance, securities law, and familiarity with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance is crucial. Experience in the company’s specific industry sector is highly valued, as is a broad understanding of business operations and strategy. Strong writing and verbal skills are essential, as is the ability to translate complex legal concepts into actionable business advice.

Typical chief legal officer duties:

Overseeing corporate governance, compliance, and ethics programs Managing the legal department, including budget, staffing, and resource allocation Leading the company’s response to major litigation and regulatory investigations Negotiating and structuring significant corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions Representing the company in high-level discussions with regulatory bodies and government officials Identifying and mitigating legal and regulatory risks that could impact the organization Overseeing the company’s intellectual property

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Salary for Chief Legal Officer in Los Angeles, CA
310470 - 374660
Low
310470
The candidate is new to the role or has limited experience and is building necessary skills.
Mid
336343
The candidate has moderate experience in the role, meets most requirements or has equivalent transferable skills, and may also have relevant certifications.
High
374660
The candidate has extensive experience and advanced skills for the role, and may also have specialized certifications.
Projected salaries for related positions Job title Low Mid High General Counsel 291803 316365 354355 In-House Counsel/Associate General Counsel, 10+ Years' Experience 205998 243988 287873 In-House Counsel, 4-9 Years' Experience 140170 194863 234163 In-House Counsel, 0-3 Years' Experience 126088 150323 176523

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Our starting salary projections come from a rigorous, multistep process so that our numbers accurately reflect the marketplace. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has matched with employers across the country and third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use to independently validate the salary levels. Starting compensation—pay for someone new to a role—can vary significantly based on a candidate’s skills, experience and certifications, as well as other factors including industry, company size and revenue, and demand for the role. To reflect this variability, we report our salary data in three levels: low, mid and high.