Executive Search Case Study: Chief Corporate Counsel for Private Equity Firm

Client Need

After successfully closing another $1B+ flagship fund and on a mission to maintain momentum, a private equity investment firm decided to hire its first in-house lawyer.  While the intention was to have this person serve as the firm’s General Counsel, the CEO preferred to hire as Chief Corporate Counsel, providing time for the new hire to become acquainted with the business and serve as a key strategic member of the senior leadership team. Having relied solely on outside counsel since the firm’s inception, the partners craved a collaborative, high-powered, versatile lawyer who could be relied upon as a true business partner at both the firm and portfolio company levels.  The key to this search was identifying the perfect cultural fit to work alongside a dynamic, humble team of overachievers and support ESG (environmental, social, and governance) and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives.  BarkerGilmore was retained for the search.

The search criteria included:

• JD from a top law school and 10+ years of combined Big Law and in-house, private equity experience
• Being comfortable in front of a board advising on governance and regulatory matters
• Experience advising an executive team on fund strategies and initiatives
• A history of managing complex transactions, including M&A, real estate, and commercial contracts
• Ability to work with portfolio companies on broad legal matters, including labor & employment, IP, litigation, and transactional work
• High emotional intelligence to serve as a strategic business partner
• A roll-up-your-sleeves self-starter, commercial/can-do mindset, sound judgment, and problem-solving abilities

Solution

Due to the competitive labor market, it was imperative to arrive at the finish line with two equally qualified candidates.  In the event the finalist received a counteroffer or competing offer which could not be matched, the second candidate could quickly move in. BarkerGilmore recruited a diverse and strong field of qualified candidates currently working in leadership roles with other private equity companies who were also motivated to become General Counsel.

The finalist accepted a compelling offer.  She began her career at a top 10 law firm focused on private equity deal work and had advanced in-house to lead an international team of fund and M&A lawyers. Chemistry with the interview team, cultural fit, and gravitas were acknowledged from the very first interview. The new Chief Corporate Counsel was impressed with the client’s values, growth potential, collaborative team, and the CEO’s appreciation for human capital and focus on the continuous development and retention of the firm’s employees.

During the post-search satisfaction call, the client expressed gratitude for the efficient search process and the slate of candidates which perfectly met all criteria. Final words were “BarkerGilmore’s persistence in finding the right candidate for this important position was appreciated by all.”