How to Transition to general counsel

Decide what kind of general counsel role you want, and set a realistic timeline for the move. Consider company size, industry, and whether you aim for a GC at a startup, mid-market company, or large corporation, because each requires different mixes of transactional, compliance, and management skills.

Break the timeline into 6- to 12-month milestones that map to skill gaps and experience needs. For example, set a three-month goal to lead a cross-functional project, a six-month goal to own a compliance program, and a 12-month goal to present to a board or senior leadership team.

Identify the technical areas most valued for your target GC role and focus on closing those gaps. Common needs include corporate governance, M&A, commercial contracting, IP, employment law, and regulatory compliance, so list which of these you need to strengthen and why they matter to the companies you target.

Choose specific actions to build expertise, such as leading an M&A due diligence in your current role, taking short courses on corporate governance, or volunteering to draft complex commercial agreements. Track outcomes by saving templates, summaries of deals you worked on, and measurable results like reduced negotiation time or compliance incidents avoided.

To be a GC you must speak the language of the business and manage trade-offs across finance, product, sales, and HR. Learn to frame legal advice around business outcomes by attending product or finance meetings, asking how legal decisions affect KPIs, and preparing short memos that link risk recommendations to revenue or cost implications.

Demonstrate impact by running a pilot project that reduces friction, for example by creating a streamlined contract approval process that shortens sales cycle time. Share results with stakeholders using simple metrics, such as percentage reduction in turnaround time or projected revenue unlocked, so you earn trust as a partner not just an advisor.

General counsel roles require managing legal teams, outside counsel, and cross-functional projects, so get direct leadership experience. Volunteer to head a small internal legal team, lead outside counsel selection and budgeting, or run a compliance rollout that requires delegating tasks and reporting results to senior leaders.

Use formal feedback to improve your leadership style by requesting 360-degree input after major projects and acting on recurring themes. Track team outcomes such as cycle time, budget variance, and stakeholder satisfaction to show you can manage people and resources effectively.

You will be judged on how well you communicate with executives and boards, so practice concise, strategic communication. Prepare short, one-page briefings for senior leaders, and rehearse presenting legal risks and options in three slides or less, focusing on business impact and recommended action.

Build board exposure by volunteering to prep materials, attending board meetings as an observer, or supporting the company secretary on governance tasks. Collect examples of board-level communications you authored or contributed to and add them to your interview portfolio to prove you can operate at that level.

Target roles with a tailored CV, a concise external profile, and a clear interview narrative that explains why you are ready to be GC. Craft stories that follow the problem, action, result format and tie each to business outcomes, such as saving money, enabling growth, or protecting reputation.

Practice common GC interview questions and prepare a compensation and negotiation plan that includes your target base, bonus, equity, and fallback options. When an offer arrives, ask for time to review, present your counter with specific market references, and propose non-salary terms like governance responsibilities if salary flexibility is limited.