A Leading General Counsel Executive Search Firm in New York
For over a decade, Rutherford has developed deep expertise in general counsel executive search, working with leading financial institutions and global law firms to place senior legal talent across the United States. As a boutique executive search firm, we are known for our sector-specific knowledge, extensive network, and long-standing relationships with both established leaders and emerging legal professionals.
Our general counsel recruiters in New York have successfully partnered with hedge funds, asset managers, and private equity firms to identify and place legal executives who align with both regulatory demands and long-term business objectives. With a strong understanding of the complexities of in-house legal teams, we have supported clients through periods of growth, restructuring, and regulatory transformation.
Rutherford's legal executive search offering is trusted by firms that value discretion, precision, and a market-informed approach. Whether you’re hiring your first General Counsel or building out an entire legal function, our general counsel recruiters bring industry insight and consistency to every search.
As part of our broader executive search services, we offer both retained and contingent recruitment solutions, depending on the level of seniority, urgency, and scope. Our reputation as one of the top general counsel recruiters in New York has been built on the strength of our delivery and the long-term relationships we’ve maintained with clients including top-tier financial services firms and global law firms.
Please note that Rutherford offers both retained search services and contingent recruitment services to its clients.
Your Trusted General Counsel Recruitment Firm
Our greatest pride is our people. Rutherford is a boutique general counsel recruiting firm which is made up of some of the best recruitment experts in the financial services space.
If you are legal professional who is actively looking for General Counsel vacancies in the financial services sector, head over to our current vacancies and peruse your options. You can alternatively reach out directly to one of our General Counsel Recruitment Consultants who will be able to walk you through live vacancies or even provide some insights on the market.
Meet Rutherford's General Counsel Recruiters
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Jackson Baker | | Lucy Phillips | | Tevia Kretzmer |
What Does a General Counsel Role Entail?
The core purpose of the General Counsel job is to advise a specific business on legal matters, to help it get through times of change in a seamless fashion and to protect the firm's integrity, all whilst being commercially aware.
This senior position comes with its fair share of responsibility, as the General Counsel usually has a seat at the decision table alongside other business executives. Whilst the role can vary widely depending on the size of a company or the nature of its services, most General Counsels will also have to proactively identify any potential legal and risk issues which may arise in the near future.
The Typical General Counsel Job Description in Financial Services
General Counsels in the financial services sector are usually asked to oversee a wide array of duties, which often include compliance, ethics, risk, commerciality, legality and client engagement.
As stated in our article Commerciality and Corporate Responsibility: the Evolution of the General Counsel, the role has emerged - and gained massive popularity - within the financial services sector during the 2008 financial crisis. Appointing a senior legal practitioner has proven useful to not only increase overall business profitability, but also to make a company thrive in the ever-changing regulatory environment and new legal market.
Whilst the duties may change from firm to firm, the typical General Counsel job description will encompass, but are not limited to, the below:
Providing sound and expert legal advice to executives
Putting in place internal governance policies and managing how external factors could impact the business
Anticipating legal issues and estimating their risk
Liaising with external parties on a regular basis (this can include regulators, clients, external counsel, etc.)
Playing an active role in the drafting of legal documents
Keeping abreast of regulatory and legal changes
Conducting due diligence on deals such as mergers and acquisitions
Where to Find General Counsel Jobs in New York City
The best way to find General Counsel jobs in NYC is to look at specialist legal recruitment firms which focus on the industry you are interested in. For example, Rutherford is a General Counsel and Associate General Counsel recruitment firm which specialises in the financial services sector. For over a decade, we have been working with some of the most renowned businesses in the finance world, from hedge funds, to private equity, to asset managers, helping them source some of the best legal talent in the New York market.
Once you have found general counsel recruitment agencies that are aligned with your career objectives and the industry you would want to work in, the next step would be to identify the right Legal Headhunters for your search. Specialist legal staffing firms like Rutherford will usually have General Counsel recruiters who oversee a niche market: they are the ones best suited to present you interesting and attrative General Counsel jobs in New York City or in the city your are based.
