Executive Search Case Study: Deputy General Counsel at a Clean Energy Infrastructure as a Service Company

Client Need: Deputy General Counsel

The client, a provider of infrastructure as a service, sought their first in-house legal hire reporting to the Chief Legal Officer. The client focuses on building data center facilities near clean energy sources, which enables it to provide services at a lower power price.

It was essential for the client to hire an individual who could function as a successor to the current Chief Legal Officer and begin to learn his institutional knowledge. However, the client also needed a Deputy General Counsel to connect personally with the staff while serving in a prominent role in the lean organization. A successful candidate needed to be ready to move from the stability of a top law firm to in-house counsel in an emerging industry, have an understanding of the client’s leadership in the industry, and be the right personality fit for the leadership team.

The search criteria included:

• JD and 7+ years of legal work experience in a top law firm.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience with commercial contracts, including some experience with project financing, energy contracts, construction and infrastructure contracts, hosting agreements, and other legal documents.
• Undergraduate degree in engineering, math, or applied science.
• An understanding of blockchain and its future.

Recruiting Solution

Because this was the client’s first in-house legal hire, BarkerGilmore started the engagement by advising the client on the market, fair compensation for the position, and the interview process. The placement process began with a search for talent at top law firms in the state where the organization has its headquarters. BarkerGilmore then expanded the search to other larger markets throughout the country. Through an in-depth understanding of the growth of the company and its commitment to clean energy, BarkerGilmore identified candidates who were excited to join the organization.

The finalist was an Ivy League-educated lawyer with a background in engineering and years of experience with commercial contracts. Through more than six years of experience working for a top law firm in the energy and infrastructure practice group, the finalist had the legal intellect to serve as the Deputy General Counsel. His entrepreneurial attitude and understanding of the client’s industry-leading work matched the organization’s needs. Moreover, the finalist exemplified his ability to work with different personalities and leadership types.

Through interactions with the finalist, it was clear that he was a friendly and hardworking person who would excel as the face of the legal side of the business. Furthermore, his communication style and willingness to immerse himself in the business indicated that he was a lawyer who could successfully transition from a law firm to an in-house role.

The new Deputy General Counsel accepted a competitive compensation package offer. After beginning work, the client reported that the new Deputy General Counsel was “off to a great start.” In reflecting on the search, the client complimented BarkerGilmore’s professionalism, calling BarkerGilmore “easy to work with.” The client highly recommended BarkerGilmore for legal executive recruiting searches.