Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Executive Search
Selection of the most senior in-house legal professional is an important decision, with broad and long-term implications for the success of your organization. Beyond technical mastery, your CLO or GC must be business savvy, possess the maturity and soft skills necessary to forge strong relationships, and earn the trust of the Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and key internal and external stakeholders. They also need to hit the ground running.
BarkerGilmore is a strategic advisor dedicated to finding legal professionals of the highest caliber for our clients.
We have built a General Counsel executive search firm based on quality, trust, and integrity, rather than search assignment volume. We have assembled a team of professionals with unmatched credentials. And we have created a client-centric, relationship-based approach, combined with a portfolio of executive search and advisory services, unlike any competitor.
An Unmatched, Risk-Managed Approach to GC and CCO Executive Recruiting
BarkerGilmore combines its access to the industry’s most qualified legal and compliance talent with an approach designed to proactively manage the risk and expense inherent in hiring for those high-level, mission-critical roles. Here’s how:
- Our 360° assessment of legal talent goes well beyond what’s on their resumes. We also evaluate essential personal attributes, including emotional intelligence, gravitas, ethics, cultural fit and chemistry, leadership capability, and passion for the position.
- Pro bono world-class coaching is included in our GC and CCO executive search engagements, providing six months of complimentary professional coaching, which facilitates onboarding, and helps to ensure long-term success. Our team of coaches includes highly respected former GCs and CCOs who have worked at blue chip companies.
- BarkerGilmore’s 91% placement stick rate and performance guarantee far surpasses industry standards. We ensure our performance with long-term guarantees to conduct a new search to replace the candidate for no additional cost, apart from expenses.
Exclusively Dedicated to Recruiting In-House Legal and Compliance Leaders
BarkerGilmore is uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional results for clients. For more than two decades, we have been exclusively dedicated to recruiting in-house legal and compliance executives, consistently exceeding client expectations through our proven approach.
Clients engaging with BarkerGilmore are seeking a trusted partner that can deliver:
- Unmatched access to top-tier legal talent
- Industry expertise and strategic guidance from seasoned search consultants
- A trusted, long-term partnership that prioritizes success beyond a single hire
We are a relationship-driven firm with industry-leading placement, retention, and satisfaction metrics, trusted by clients who value quality, discretion, and results.
Unlike any other legal executive recruiter, and as part of our commitment to ensuring long-term success for senior-level GCs and CCOs, we include six months of Executive Coaching by a distinguished former General Counsel from our team.
Led by a distinguished former GC or CCO, these customized, discrete coaching sessions accelerate the new executive’s ability to integrate into the organization, drive strategic initiatives, and establish leadership credibility from day one.
The BarkerGilmore Advantage
Why BarkerGilmore is Recognized as the General Counsel Search Firm Leader
BarkerGilmore stands apart from all other recruitment firms for General Counsel executive search assignments in tangible ways. Boards, CEOs, and CHROs select BarkerGilmore not only for the high quality in-house legal talent we deliver, but also for the long-term impact and value those professionals deliver for their organizations.
Here are a few ways our clients benefit from what we call The BarkerGilmore Advantage:
CustomFitSM – Our Proven Executive Search Process
Our proprietary, data-driven, CustomFitSM executive search process identifies, evaluates, and places the right in-house legal leader in the right role at the right time — ensuring strategic alignment, cultural fit, and long-term organizational impact. Learn more about our search process.
Key Elements of our CustomFitSM Process
- Alignment with corporate goals and evolving business needs
- Deep evaluation of leadership potential and soft-skill maturity
- Assessment of candidate motivation and passion for the position
- Benchmarking against industry-leading legal talent
- Candidate engagement strategies that reflect the highest standards of discretion and professionalism
Work with a General Counsel recruiter who understands what elite legal leadership looks like.
Our Proven Process for Sourcing, Evaluating, and Recruiting the Best CLOs, GCs, and CCOs
BarkerGilmore’s dedicated team of in-house executive search consultants is engaged at every stage of the legal and compliance executive search process, providing a high-touch, consultative experience that ensures alignment with your organization’s needs and culture.
We leverage our deep industry networks, proprietary research methodologies, and direct outreach to identify the strongest candidates for the top legal or compliance role. This involves:
- Targeted outreach to high-caliber passive candidates who are not actively on the market.
- Confidential, strategic conversations to assess interest, career trajectory, and cultural fit.
- Comprehensive evaluation of leadership skills, emotional intelligence, industry experience, and ability to align with your organization’s mission.
We present only those candidates who are truly qualified to make an immediate and lasting impact, ensuring that your greatest challenge will be selecting the best among an elite slate of highly qualified professionals.
Key Traits CEOs, CHROs, and Board Directors Seek in General Counsel Candidates
At BarkerGilmore, we are more than General Counsel headhunters. We serve as organizational strategists who prioritize the essential qualities a high-performing General Counsel must have, including:
Strategic Legal & Business Acumen
Strategic Legal & Business Acumen
A proven ability to align legal strategy with business objectives and advise senior leadership on complex matters.
Industry-Specific Experience
Industry-Specific Experience
Direct experience in our client’s industry, with a deep understanding of the legal, regulatory, and business landscape.
Executive Presence & Judgment
Executive Presence & Judgment
High emotional intelligence, commercial instincts, and the gravitas required to lead from day one.
Team Leadership & Development
Team Leadership & Development
A hands-on leader who attracts and develops legal talent, and who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.
Industries We Serve
BarkerGilmore recruits GCs, CLOs, and CCOs from public and private organizations across industries that include:
Connect with BarkerGilmore’s General Counsel Recruiting Experts
Former SVP, GC & Corporate Secretary
Boehringer Ingelheim USA
Chicago, IL | Ridgefield, CT
Former SVP, GC, CCO, CLO & Corporate Secretary
Ashland Global Holdings, Inc.
Cincinnati, OH | Asheville, NC
Former Founding General Counsel and Executive Committee Member
Haleon plc
London, England | Munich, Germany
Senior Project Manager, Legal & Compliance, Information Systems Lead
Rochester, NY
Former EVP, GC, Chief Ethics Officer & Corporate Secretary
The Chubb Corporation
New York, NY
Trusted by the nation’s most respected organizations
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We Go Beyond Recruitment
Advisors at BarkerGilmore have decades of experience as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officers advising executives and boards at some of the country’s most powerful and respected corporations. Now you can put their wisdom and skills to work in optimizing your legal and compliance departments.
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