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General Counsel Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Air Clean Systems

General Counsel

Creedmoor, NC · On-site

General Counsel Department or Division : Legal Reports To : CEO and board of directors Job Summary The general counsel is responsible for leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives.

NCSU

Deputy General Counsel

Raleigh, NC

Posting Information Posting Number PG193816EP Internal Recruitment No Working Title Deputy General Counsel Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with education and experience. Work Schedule ...

NCSU

Deputy General Counsel

Raleigh, NC

Posting Information Posting Number PG193816EP Internal Recruitment No Working Title Deputy General Counsel Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with education and experience. Work Schedule ...

Osv_bioventus

Assistant General Counsel

Durham, NC · On-site

This position reports to the General Counsel and serves as a key legal leader within Bioventus, providing strategic legal advice on a wide array of corporate and business matters to the organization ...

Osv_bioventus

Assistant General Counsel

Durham, NC · On-site

This position reports to the General Counsel and serves as a key legal leader within Bioventus, providing strategic legal advice on a wide array of corporate and business matters to the organization ...

Genworth

Deputy General Counsel

Raleigh, NC · On-site

We're looking for a Deputy General Counsel to join us in fulfilling our mission, while utilizing our values of excellence, improvement, and connection. In this role, you will join the Legal team and ...

Genworth Financial

Deputy General Counsel

Raleigh, NC · On-site +1

We're looking for a Deputy General Counsel to join us in fulfilling our mission, while utilizing our values of excellence, improvement, and connection. In this role, you will join the Legal team and ...

Gnw

Deputy General Counsel

Raleigh, NC · On-site +1

We're looking for a Deputy General Counsel to join us in fulfilling our mission, while utilizing our values of excellence, improvement, and connection. In this role, you will join the Legal team and ...

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All JobsGeneral Counsel JobsGeneral Counsel Jobs in Raleigh, NC

General Counsel information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$56.9K

$147.4K

$259.5K

How much do general counsel jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for general counsel in Raleigh, NC is $147,401.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $105,500.00 and $184,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What do you do as general counsel?

A general counsel is the chief legal officer of an organization, responsible for overseeing legal matters, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and providing legal advice to management. They often handle contract review, risk management, and may supervise a legal team, requiring strong legal knowledge and negotiation skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a General Counsel, and why are they important?

To thrive as a General Counsel, you need a law degree (J.D.), admission to the state bar, and extensive experience in corporate law, regulatory compliance, and risk management. Familiarity with contract management systems, legal research databases like Westlaw or LexisNexis, and specialized compliance software is often required. Exceptional judgment, leadership, negotiation, and communication skills set outstanding General Counsels apart. These skills are critical for providing sound legal guidance, protecting the organization from risk, and effectively supporting business objectives.

Do you need a law degree to be a general counsel?

A law degree is typically required to become a general counsel, as the role involves providing legal advice and representing the company in legal matters. Most general counsels are licensed attorneys with extensive legal experience, often including passing the bar exam and maintaining active licensure. While alternative qualifications are rare, legal expertise and a strong understanding of corporate law are essential for the position.

What is a General Counsel?

A general counsel, also known as a chief counsel or a Chief Legal Officer (CLO), acts as the primary legal advisor to the senior leadership board of a business or law firm. Like corporate attorneys, a general counsel is well versed in laws, regulations, and negotiating skills. However, unlike corporate lawyers, these specialists have a broader knowledge base and must be able to identify legal issues in a variety of industries, including engineering, marketing, finance, human resources, and business policy. CEOs depend on a general counsel to give confidential feedback and suggestions on firm cases and internal attorney activity.

What does a General Counsel do?

A General Counsel is the chief lawyer of an organization, responsible for overseeing all legal matters. They provide legal advice to the company's executives and management, ensure compliance with laws and regulations, and manage legal risks. General Counsels may also handle contracts, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, and litigation. Their role is crucial in helping the organization make informed decisions while minimizing legal exposure.

Is general counsel a high position?

Yes, the general counsel is a senior executive role responsible for overseeing a company's legal matters. It is typically one of the highest-ranking legal positions within an organization, often reporting directly to the CEO or board of directors.

What are some common challenges faced by a General Counsel in balancing legal risk and business objectives?

A General Counsel often faces the challenge of providing legal advice that protects the organization while supporting its strategic and operational goals. This means carefully evaluating legal risks and proposing solutions that enable business growth without exposing the company to unnecessary liability. Navigating complex regulatory environments, addressing fast-evolving compliance requirements, and communicating legal considerations in clear, actionable terms to non-legal colleagues are all part of the role. Collaboration with executive leadership is essential to align legal priorities with broader business objectives, often requiring creative problem-solving and negotiation skills.

Who is the highest paid general counsel?

The highest paid general counsel typically work for large multinational corporations and can earn total compensation exceeding several million dollars annually, including base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Compensation varies based on company size, industry, and individual experience, with top earners often holding senior leadership and legal expertise in complex corporate environments.

What is the difference between General Counsel vs Corporate Lawyer?

AspectGeneral CounselCorporate Lawyer
CredentialsJD, bar admission, extensive legal experienceJD, bar admission, specialized in corporate law
Work EnvironmentIn-house legal department of a companyLaw firms or corporate legal teams
Employer & IndustryCorporations across industriesLaw firms or corporate legal departments
Primary FocusLegal strategy, risk management, corporate governanceTransactional work, contracts, mergers & acquisitions

While both roles require a JD and legal expertise, the General Counsel serves as the top in-house legal advisor focusing on overall legal strategy and risk management within a company. In contrast, a Corporate Lawyer typically handles transactional work like contracts and deals, often working in law firms or corporate legal teams. The General Counsel has a broader leadership role, whereas the Corporate Lawyer specializes in specific legal transactions.

More about General Counsel jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of General Counsel jobs in Raleigh, NC? The most popular types of General Counsel jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
What are popular job titles related to General Counsel jobs in Raleigh, NC? For General Counsel jobs in Raleigh, NC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching General Counsel jobs in Raleigh, NC look for? The top searched job categories for General Counsel jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
What cities near Raleigh, NC are hiring for General Counsel jobs? Cities near Raleigh, NC with the most General Counsel job openings:
General Counsel jobs near you
Infographic showing various General Counsel job openings in Raleigh, NC as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 12% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,401 per year, or $70.9 per hour.
General Counsel

General Counsel

Air Clean Systems

Creedmoor, NC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

AIRCLEAN SYSTEMS


Job Title: General Counsel

Department or Division: Legal

Reports To: CEO and board of directors

Job Summary

The general counsel is responsible for leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives. The general counsel provides senior management and the board of directors with effective advice on company strategies and their implementation, manages the legal function, and obtains and oversees the work of outside counsel. The general counsel is directly involved in complex business transactions in negotiating critical contracts.

Essential Functions

  • Participates in the definition and development of corporate policies, procedures and programs and provides continuing counsel and guidance on legal matters and on legal implications of all matters.
  • Serves as key lawyer/legal advisor on all major business transactions, including acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures.
  • Judges the merits of major court cases filed against or on behalf of the company, works with the appropriate executive(s) to define a strategic defense and approves settlements of disputes where warranted.
  • Assumes ultimate responsibility for ensuring that the company conducts its business in compliance with applicable SEC et al. laws and regulations.
  • Structures and manages the company’s internal legal function.
  • Oversees the selection, retention, management and evaluation of outside counsel.
  • Advises on legal aspects of the company’s financing, including assessing and advising on current and future business structures and legal entities.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Required Education and Experience

  • Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school.
  • Admitted to the North Carolina bar.
  • Minimum of six years’ legal experience.
  • Experience working on matters of corporate governance and with a board of directors
  • Experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources.
  • Experience in directing strategy and managing Intellectual property.
  • Experience as legal counsel to family companies with various investments is a plus.
  • General knowledge of NC employment law helpful.

Accountabilities

  • Highest quality of Customer Service is displayed.
  • Highest quality of legal work is displayed.
  • Foster a team environment between management, sales, production and marketing to ensure corporate goals are achieved.
  • Develop and maintain a creative environment for new ideas and inventions.


Terms of employment

This is a full-time, exempt, salary position.

Hours

The general hours shall be Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 5:30pm with an hour break for lunch. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Work Environment


Work is regularly performed in an office environment.

Physical Demands


The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee is frequently required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to stand and/or walk. The employee must occasionally lift, carry, push or pull up to 10 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.


Travel

Travel may be required; some international travel may be required.

Benefits

Compensation package includes salary, major medical benefits, life insurance and 401K plan with employer contribution. Paid personal leave plus company paid general holidays and paid company holidays.