Legal Counsel Job Description Template
Lead all legal strategy, compliance, and risk management for the business. You'll handle contracts, employment law, regulatory matters, and advise leadership on legal implications of key decisions.
No signup, no card. The tool fills the rest in for you.
Why hire a Legal Counsel?
As SMBs scale, they face increasing legal exposure—employment disputes, contract negotiations, regulatory compliance—that founders can no longer handle alone. You protect the company's assets and enable growth without legal risk.
Legal Counsel salary ranges
Approximate annual gross salary bands (Q2 2026). Always adjust for your city, seniority, and the candidate’s experience.
United States
$110,000 – $160,000
United Kingdom
£85,000 – £125,000
Eurozone
€95,000 – €140,000
Legal Counsel responsibilities
- Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts including customer agreements, vendor terms, and partnership deals
- Establish and maintain compliance frameworks across employment law, data privacy (GDPR, CCPA), and industry-specific regulations
- Advise leadership on legal risks in business decisions, financing rounds, M&A activity, and restructuring
- Manage employment matters including hiring policies, termination procedures, disputes, and HR documentation
- Build and oversee relationships with external counsel for specialized areas (IP, litigation, tax)
- Create and maintain legal documentation systems, templates, and governance records for audit readiness
Skills & requirements
Required
- 5+ years in-house legal experience or law firm background with SMB/mid-market clients
- Strong grasp of employment law, contract drafting, and commercial negotiation
- Proficiency with data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, state privacy laws)
- Ability to communicate legal concepts clearly to non-lawyer stakeholders
- Experience with contract management systems and legal operations tools
- Bar admission (any US state or UK/EU equivalent)
Nice to have
- Background in B2B SaaS or technology sector contracts
- Experience with equity grants, option plans, and cap table management
- Prior exposure to fundraising documents or term sheets
Copy-ready Legal Counsel job description
Legal Counsel [Company name] · [City], [Country] · [On-site / Hybrid / Remote] $110,000 – $160,000 (US) · £85,000 – £125,000 (UK) · €95,000 – €140,000 (EU) — gross/year
Lead all legal strategy, compliance, and risk management for the business. You'll handle contracts, employment law, regulatory matters, and advise leadership on legal implications of key decisions.
Why this role exists As SMBs scale, they face increasing legal exposure—employment disputes, contract negotiations, regulatory compliance—that founders can no longer handle alone. You protect the company's assets and enable growth without legal risk.
What you'll do
- Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts including customer agreements, vendor terms, and partnership deals
- Establish and maintain compliance frameworks across employment law, data privacy (GDPR, CCPA), and industry-specific regulations
- Advise leadership on legal risks in business decisions, financing rounds, M&A activity, and restructuring
- Manage employment matters including hiring policies, termination procedures, disputes, and HR documentation
- Build and oversee relationships with external counsel for specialized areas (IP, litigation, tax)
- Create and maintain legal documentation systems, templates, and governance records for audit readiness
What you'll need
- 5+ years in-house legal experience or law firm background with SMB/mid-market clients
- Strong grasp of employment law, contract drafting, and commercial negotiation
- Proficiency with data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, state privacy laws)
- Ability to communicate legal concepts clearly to non-lawyer stakeholders
- Experience with contract management systems and legal operations tools
- Bar admission (any US state or UK/EU equivalent)
Nice to have
- Background in B2B SaaS or technology sector contracts
- Experience with equity grants, option plans, and cap table management
- Prior exposure to fundraising documents or term sheets
What we offer
- Salary: [range, gross, with currency and time unit]
- [Equity / bonus / commission if applicable]
- [Health, PTO, learning budget, equipment — only what's real]
- [Work mode + flexibility]
About [Company] [2–3 sentences: stage, customers, traction. Keep it specific.]
Want it tailored to your company and country?
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Frequently asked
What does a Legal Counsel do?
Lead all legal strategy, compliance, and risk management for the business. You'll handle contracts, employment law, regulatory matters, and advise leadership on legal implications of key decisions. As SMBs scale, they face increasing legal exposure—employment disputes, contract negotiations, regulatory compliance—that founders can no longer handle alone. You protect the company's assets and enable growth without legal risk.
What should a Legal Counsel job description include?
A strong Legal Counsel job post has a one-line hook, why the role exists, 6 outcome-led responsibilities, a clear list of required skills, the salary range, and a country-specific compliance line. Use the copy-ready template above as a starting point.
How much does a Legal Counsel earn?
Approximate annual gross bands (Q2 2026): $110,000 – $160,000 in the US, £85,000 – £125,000 in the UK, and €95,000 – €140,000 in the Eurozone. Adjust for city, seniority, and experience.
How do I write a Legal Counsel job description fast?
Use Penroll's free job description generator — enter the title and country and it produces a complete, inclusive, salary-formatted Legal Counsel post in about 30 seconds, no signup required.
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