What Does A Head of Legal Do?

WHAT DOES A HEAD OF LEGAL DO?

Published: Aug 4, 2025 - The Head of Legal leads the Legal Department by managing team workloads and ensuring timely, strategic legal counsel is provided to the Managing Board, business units, and support functions. This position ensures compliance by maintaining up-to-date legal documentation, monitoring regulatory developments, and overseeing claims, litigation, and legal reporting requirements. The Head also advises on risk and business strategies, liaises with external counsel, and fosters a collaborative, high-performance team culture through mentoring, performance management, and effective cost control.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Head of Legal

1. Head of Legal Roles and Responsibilities

Legal Leadership: Manage and be the thought leader for all legal matters affecting regulated companies.
Strategic Legal Support: Provide strategic legal contribution and support to all major business initiatives and special projects, including those at the regional level.
Project Management: Manage local or regional projects or activities as directed by the Head of Legal and Compliance.
Legal Strategy Execution: Develop, drive, and execute legal strategies.
Regulatory Compliance Monitoring: Monitor regulatory changes and develop programs to ensure compliance.
Service Delivery Management: Ensure that deliverables and service level agreements set with unit, department, or division heads are met.
Team Development: Define legal roles and accountabilities within the legal and compliance team, including personnel development and career plans.
Legal Framework Maintenance: Maintain robust legal structures without negatively impacting business objectives.
Cost Management: Effectively manage legal costs.
Corporate Governance: Manage corporate governance requirements.

2. Head of Legal Duties and Roles

Legal Compliance Oversight: Ensure all legal entities and country operations comply with group and local law requirements.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Develop close working relationships with key stakeholders and proactively support the management of legal and integrity risks.
Regulatory Monitoring: Perceive legal changes impacting the business and recommend appropriate actions to management.
Corporate Legal Support: Participate in and support corporate matters, including Board of Directors, Shareholder Meetings, and M&A, and manage corporate housekeeping.
Fiduciary Responsibility: Assume fiduciary duties as a board or management team member if appointed.
Governance Implementation: Support the achievement of legal, governance, and integrity objectives through the implementation of local laws and group policies.
Contractual Compliance Review: Review bids, contracts, negotiations, policies, and other legal documents from third parties to ensure compliance with local laws and group policies.
Claims Management: Support business units in managing contractual claims.
Integrity Promotion: Promote and participate in integrity-focused activities to ensure business is conducted following the Code of Conduct, group directives, and local laws.
Policy Development Support: Support the development of local policies, procedures, and integrity frameworks, including reporting mechanisms and conducting investigations.
Legal Training: Provide training to employees on contractual and integrity topics.
Litigation Management: Raise and defend litigation matters, engaging relevant external experts.
Legal Cost Management: Ensure cost-effective external legal advice and manage outsourcing of legal services.

3. Head of Legal Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Legal Solutions: Responsible for providing timely legal and compliance analysis for various product lines and business development, and providing corresponding solutions.
Contract Negotiation: Handle various business-related contracts, participate in the negotiation and promotion of major projects.
Market Advisory: Participate in the research of target markets or regions and provide legal advice for business development.
Litigation Handling: Protect the company's rights and interests and handle all related lawsuits.
Regulatory Relations: Maintain and handle relations with various international regulatory agencies, keep abreast of policy changes, and make reasonable response plans.
Investment Support: Provide legal support for the company's related investment and financing projects.
Integrity Training: Develop and deliver an annual integrity training plan in alignment with the group’s integrity training plan.
Values Compliance: Live core values of safety and integrity by taking accountability for actions and promoting a responsible and caring work environment.

4. Head of Legal Roles and Details

Legal Advisory: Advise the company and senior management on legal, regulatory, and compliance matters related to trading and shipping, including identifying risks and proposing improvements.
Team Development: Develop an in-house legal team to provide support and assistance across business functions.
Contract Support: Supervise and provide legal support to operations personnel in drafting and finalizing contracts related to trading and shipping.
Regulatory Strategy: Plan the company’s strategy for managing government and regulatory affairs.
External Counsel Management: Arrange and supervise external legal counsel for specialized advice and litigation matters.
Policy Development: Develop and communicate policies and procedures reflecting the company’s standards for legal and ethical conduct.
Compliance Reporting: Provide regular reports to senior management on compliance program status and updates on ethics and regulatory matters.
Compliance Training: Coordinate with HR and administration to develop and implement an effective compliance training program, including onboarding and ongoing staff training.

5. Head of Legal Key Accountabilities

Business Partnership: Be a strong business partner while considering and mitigating legal risks.
Legal Advisory: Provide legal and business advice to the Chief Legal Officer and other members of the legal staff on issues arising in connection with operations.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Direct and matrix manage, as well as partner with, key legal and business functions.
Strategic Coordination: Coordinate strategic activities at the executive level while coaching at the tactical level.
Executive Partnership: Be the business partner to executives and business leaders.
Contract Risk Analysis: Identify, analyze, and assess complex issues about contractual risk.
Issue Resolution: Exercise judgment and creativity in selecting methods, techniques, and strategies for obtaining a prompt resolution to contractual issues.
Transactional Support: Provide direction and execution of day-to-day legal support for various sales, service, and other commercial transactions.
Contract Management: Draft, review, and negotiate various commercial contracts, bidding materials, and documents.
Operations Support: Provide day-to-day legal support to the operations of various functions.
Functional Contracting: Draft, review, and negotiate agreements in support of purchasing, real estate, environmental health and safety, logistics, and quality functions.
Government Liaison: Act as an interface to government agencies and engage with the Government Relations team.

6. Head of Legal General Responsibilities

Legal Risk Advisory: Advise the company and senior management on legal, regulatory, and compliance matters related to trading and shipping activities, identifying areas of risk and recommending improvements.
Team Building: Develop an in-house legal team to provide comprehensive legal support and assistance across the company.
Contract Guidance: Supervise and provide legal guidance to operations personnel in drafting and finalizing contracts for trading and shipping activities.
Regulatory Strategy: Plan the company’s strategy for managing government and regulatory affairs.
External Counsel Oversight: Arrange and oversee the work of external legal counsel for specialized advice or litigation.
Policy Communication: Develop and communicate policies and procedures that uphold the company’s standards for legal and ethical conduct.
Compliance Reporting: Provide regular reports to senior management on the compliance program’s status, including updates on ethics and regulatory developments.
Training Coordination: Coordinate with HR and administration to develop and implement an effective compliance training program.
Onboarding Training: Deliver appropriate onboarding compliance training for new employees and ensure ongoing training for existing staff.

7. Head of Legal Role Purpose

Legal Issue Handling: Handle legal issues related to corporate law, employment law, litigation, legal notices, contracts with customers, partners, suppliers, and banking providers.
Regulatory Advisory: Advise on a range of regulatory matters, including payments, banking, and anti-money laundering.
Contract Management: Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts for customers, partners, service providers, privacy law, and information security in multiple languages.
Risk Assessment: Identify and prioritize associated legal and contractual risks.
Board Documentation: Define and draft decisions to be made by the board of resolution and the power of attorney.
Shareholder Records: Maintain the registration of shareholders and monitor changes in share ownership of the company.
IP Support: Provide general support for intellectual property matters.
Subsidiary Governance: Provide legal support for subsidiary governance, establishment, and consolidations.
M&A Integration: Support acquisition integration activities.

8. Head of Legal Essential Functions

Documentation Support: Provide legal support for the management of all company documentation, including customer contracts, supply chain contracts, franchise agreements, and company policies.
Board Advisory: Advise the board on key legal developments and potential risks.
Regulatory Impact Assessment: Assess the impact of industry and company developments, such as regulatory changes and significant events.
Regulatory Liaison: Liaise with regulatory authorities.
External Counsel Management: Manage external counsel for day-to-day operations and specialist advice on key projects, ensuring adherence to the legal budget.
Team Strategy Development: Develop and deliver the team strategy in line with business expectations.
Compliance Improvement: Improve legal and regulatory compliance and minimize risk.
Board Meeting Participation: Attend monthly board meetings as the company secretary.

9. Head of Legal Additional Details

Business Legal Advisory: Ensure strong, proactive, and business-oriented legal advice and guidance to management of supported functions, actively contributing to strategic business decisions.
Strategic Agreement Drafting: Draft and negotiate strategically important, complex business development and M&A agreements.
Complex Legal Management: Manage other complex legal issues with strong operational and business acumen.
Risk Advisory: Use broad legal and business knowledge to identify and advise management on opportunities and legal risks associated with activities of supported functions, ensuring they are addressed appropriately.
Litigation Oversight: Supervise and manage significant general legal disputes and litigations of global functions, including contractual and regulatory disputes.
External Representation: Represent the organization’s interests in negotiations, transactions, disputes, and other legal matters with external parties.
Process Optimization: Drive consistency, effectiveness, and efficiency of processes related to transactions across different functions, regions, and business cases.
Team Leadership: Build and maintain a strong, high-performing team, ensuring high-quality, solution-oriented, and consistent legal advice by all team members.
Talent Development: Support the further development of lawyers and non-lawyers in direct line relationships.
Indirect Team Support: Contribute to the management and development of indirect team members.
Resource Planning: Assess legal needs and devise resource plans.
Vision Execution: Support the General Counsel in creating and implementing a vision for the legal function and in establishing a high-performing team.

10. Head of Legal Roles

Regulatory Management: Manage legal, regulatory, tax, and compliance activities in front of regulatory bodies.
Authority Communication: Ensure fluid communication and deliverables to regulatory authorities.
Compliance Fulfillment: Satisfy compliance requirements.
Fundraising Documentation: Draft fundraising documentation and documentation intended for investors, such as subscription agreements, offering memorandum, and board meeting minutes.
Investment Negotiation: Negotiate fundraising terms with entrepreneurs, as well as legal documentation surrounding investments, including letters of intent, term sheets, shareholders’ agreements, responsibilities, and warranties.
Portfolio Support: Participate in a smoother management experience for portfolio companies.
Administrative Management: Manage administrative aspects related to day-to-day activities.
Partner Liaison: Act as a point of contact for various partners and lobbies, including lawyers, auditors, and industry associations.
Document Archiving: Ensure rigorous archiving of all legal documentation.
Legal Tech Vision: Develop a product vision on how legal and regulatory tasks can be part of a digital solution.
Team Contribution: Contribute to the team with creativity and enthusiasm.

11. Head of Legal Tasks

Legal Strategy Leadership: Lead the development and implementation of the legal strategy and contribute to the development of the organization’s business strategy.
Legal Advisory: Provide legal leadership on issues by providing proactive, in-depth, business-focused advice and counsel.
Training and Support: Support business partner training and counsel non-legal associates, and lead or contribute to both formal and informal teams in the provision of legal expertise.
Legal Foresight: Anticipate and maintain up-to-date knowledge of current laws relevant to the substantive area to provide strategic advice and foster compliance.
Litigation Risk Management: Limit litigation risk exposure, including risk derived from clinical issues and employee relations, working closely with executives across country, regional, and global units.
Team Management: Manage a team of legal counsel, including employee selection, development, retention, and engagement.
Country Legal Leadership: Act as Country Legal Head by identifying legal framework developments, guiding the cross-divisional legal group, and aligning and promoting consistency of approach in legal matters between divisions.
Leadership Team Participation: Sit on the leadership team, define and deliver legal performance targets on the country scorecard.

12. Head of Legal Details and Accountabilities

Contract Approval: Act as a legal approval point for all contracts in the company.
Legal Advisory: Act as legal advisor on a wide range of internal and external matters, and provide high-quality day-to-day legal support for all areas of the business, including new business activities, relationships with business partners, product development, and operations.
Terms Management: Review and update customer-facing terms and conditions.
Agreement Drafting: Draft and negotiate the legal content of commercial agreements.
Contract Negotiation: Lead commercial contract review and negotiation across the business, including ownership and redesign of the commercial contract management process.
Dispute Resolution: Deal with any litigation or disputes across the business, liaising with third-party legal advisers.
Privacy Oversight: Take ownership of privacy and data protection policies and notices, and provide practical data protection and privacy advice.
Policy Development: Develop, draft, review, revise, and implement compliance-related corporate policies and procedures, such as Code of Conduct, Anti-Bribery, and Customer Screening.

13. Head of Legal Overview

Disclosure Compliance: Ensure compliance with applicable continuous disclosure requirements, advise on potential transactions involving securities law considerations, and work with outside counsel to implement them.
Privacy Compliance: Oversee compliance with, and provide advice on, all matters relating to applicable privacy and access legislation.
Legal Team Leadership: Recruit, develop, and manage the legal team, including providing day-to-day leadership, coaching and mentoring, driving individual and team success, conducting 1-on-1 meetings, reviewing performance, optimizing employee retention, supporting inter-company communication, and removing barriers to success.
Partnership Negotiation: Support and/or lead the negotiation of media and entertainment agreements related to strategic partnership opportunities.
Agreement Drafting: Draft and negotiate an array of commercial agreements such as letters of intent, term sheets, and long-form agreements.
Dispute Management: Manage disputes by combining business acumen with risk mitigation abilities.
Regulatory Monitoring: Inform leadership and management of developments in laws and regulations that may affect the business and its strategies.
Legal Training: Ensure internal stakeholders have an appropriate level of training and knowledge to improve their understanding of legal concepts.
Process Optimization: Ensure standard form contracts and processes are in place to maximize team and business efficiency, implement collaborative strategies, and act as the department’s advocate across the business.
Professional Conduct: Maintain and model a positive and professional attitude that cultivates healthy working relationships across all levels of the organization.

14. Head of Legal Job Description

Functional Leadership: Serve as a key functional leader, contributing to organizational strategy and mentoring staff.
Risk Advisory: Advise senior management on material legal risks.
Stakeholder Representation: Represent the organization and serve as the primary legal point of contact with stakeholders.
Legal System Development: Design and direct company-wide legal system development.
Counsel Consultation: Consult outside counsel on complex legal issues, both domestic and international.
Tax Compliance Monitoring: Monitor general compliance with tax laws and regulations applicable to private foundations.
Legal Support: Provide support in areas such as corporate compliance, employment, intellectual property, and tax.
Tax Return Assistance: Assist the finance team with the preparation and review of private foundation tax returns.
Legal Collaboration: Collaborate and share learnings with legal counsel from other members.

15. Head of Legal Functions

Client Advisory: Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, the advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations.
Legal Analysis: Analyze the probable outcome of legal matters.
Funding Support: Work closely with the founding team on grant and funding structuring, due diligence, compliance, agreement review, and negotiation.
Training Development: Develop training and reference materials for funding teams, jointly with the Funding Operations Team.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Frequently collaborate with the Funding Operations Team and Finance.
Grant Compliance: Ensure end-to-end grant management cycle compliance, filing, and disbursements.
Contract Oversight: Provide oversight and final approval to the team processing the high volume of service contract partnerships.
Template Development: Lead the development and implementation of service contract templates.
Risk Mitigation: Ensure systems and processes are in place to mitigate risk and support efficiency for service contract partnerships.

16. Head of Legal Accountabilities

Legal Affairs Leadership: Serve as a key functional leader, contributing to organizational strategy, mentoring staff, and overseeing all areas of legal affairs, grants, and contracts.
Risk Advisory: Advise senior management on material legal risks.
Stakeholder Engagement: Represent the organization and serve as the primary legal point of contact with stakeholders, including leadership, investment advisors, clients, and affiliated entities.
Team Management: Build, manage, and advise a legal team on legal, compliance, and grants management processes.
System Development: Design and direct company-wide legal system development.
Counsel Coordination: Consult outside counsel on complex legal issues, both domestic and international.
Tax Compliance Monitoring: Monitor general compliance with tax laws and regulations applicable to private foundations.
Legal Support Services: Provide support in other areas such as corporate compliance, employment, intellectual property, and tax.
Tax Filing Assistance: Assist the finance team with the preparation and review of private foundation tax returns.

17. Head of Legal Job Summary

Legal Collaboration: Collaborate and share learnings with legal counsel from other affiliated entities.
Client Advisory: Advise clients concerning business transactions, claim liability, the advisability of prosecuting or defending lawsuits, or legal rights and obligations, analyzing the probable outcome.
Funding Structuring: Work closely with the founding team on grant and funding structuring, due diligence, compliance, agreement review, and negotiation.
Training Development: Develop training and reference materials for funding teams, jointly with the Funding Operations Team.
Grant Compliance: Collaborate with the Funding Operations Team and Finance to ensure end-to-end grant management cycle compliance, filing, and disbursements.
Contract Oversight: Provide oversight and final approval to the team processing a high volume of service contract partnerships.
Template Implementation: Lead the development and implementation of service contract templates.
Risk Mitigation: Ensure systems and processes are in place to mitigate risk and support efficiency for service contract partnerships.

18. Head of Legal Responsibilities

Legal Affairs Management: Manage and lead legal affairs related to the structure of the group, its commercial licenses, and commercial law compliance.
Risk Management: Identify and manage legal risks and opportunities across the group.
Legal Advisory: Provide legal advice and support on a wide range of legal activities, including drafting and reviewing contracts of all types.
External Representation: Exercise legal representation concerning external parties, either private or governmental, locally or internationally, in all matters of a legal nature.
Executive Legal Oversight: Carry executive responsibilities critical to the legal welfare and overall performance of the group.
Dispute Resolution: Oversee the handling of claims, disputes, and legal proceedings, and the negotiation and execution of settlement agreements, either in-court, out-of-court, or via arbitration proceedings.
Entity Establishment: Oversee the establishment and incorporation of companies or other legal entities related to the group and the drafting of resolutions to be passed by its governing bodies.
Document Compliance: Ensure all contracts, legal documents, and templates are up-to-date and compliant with statutory laws.

19. Head of Legal Details

Governance Advisory: Provide comprehensive legal guidance and advice relating to corporate governance issues of the company and its current and future affiliates and subsidiaries.
Dispute Representation: Provide legal representation in lead hearings for dispute resolution.
Government Liaison: Coordinate and liaise with various governmental bodies and private entities.
Legal Reporting: Report on legal activities, risks, and litigation.
Legal Research: Conduct analysis and research on various legal matters.
Policy Compliance: Specify internal governance policies and monitor compliance.
Ethical Culture Promotion: Foster and promote an ethical working culture within the organization and adopt best corporate governance and legal practices that protect the best interests of employees and other stakeholders.
Contract Representation: Represent the company in contractual obligations established with venture partners, suppliers, and staff.

20. Head of Legal Duties

Department Leadership: Lead the Legal Department by coordinating the workload among team members to ensure that sound legal advice is provided promptly to the Managing Board, business lines, and other departments to support their transactions and operations.
Policy Maintenance: Ensure that relevant documentation, policies, and procedures are available and kept up to date to facilitate the business.
Legal Monitoring: Follow up on relevant legal developments, jurisprudence, and new legislation or regulations.
Regulatory Updates: Inform management and relevant departments or committees about changes or updates and their possible effects on the business and strategy.
Project Participation: Participate or delegate participation in project groups where legal support is required or desired.
Regulatory Reporting: Be responsible for the timely completion, review, and submission of legal-related regulatory reports and deliverables.
Claims Supervision: Coordinate, monitor, and supervise the handling of claims and proceedings, including cross-border matters.
Loan Recovery Support: Assist in restructuring and recovery actions of non-performing loans, providing regular updates to the Managing Board and Risk Monitoring Unit.
Corporate Liaison: Interact closely with the Corporate Secretary.

21. Head of Legal Key Accountabilities

External Counsel Relations: Establish and maintain good relationships with external counsel and advisors.
Outsourced Work Oversight: Ensure team members provide proper and clear instructions to external counsel and oversee the quality of outsourced work.
Subsidiary Support: Maintain close contact with branch offices and subsidiaries and assist with legal matters.
Management Updates: Attend weekly management team meetings and provide relevant updates.
Legal Committee Coordination: Schedule and attend regular Legal Committee Meetings.
Performance Management: Promote and contribute to the performance management cycle in an efficient, timely, and interactive manner.
Team Development: Create and support an efficient and positive working environment for all team members, supporting training, coaching, and career development.
Strategic Advisory: Act as a strategic advisor to the business with executive presence and confidence.
Cost Management: Promote cost discipline, be cost conscious following market standards, and review and approve legal expenses.

22. Head of Legal and Compliance Roles

Legal Leadership: Report to the Chief Security Officer and lead all legal and compliance matters.
Risk Management: Monitor and manage the organization’s legal and compliance risks.
Regional Oversight: Oversee all legal, compliance, and AML matters of the group's business across different regions.
Regulatory Monitoring: Detect, monitor, and manage legal, compliance, and regulatory risks.
Compliance Projects: Lead major compliance projects.
Crisis Strategy: Develop strategies and guidelines to respond to and mitigate legal and compliance risk emergencies.
Regulatory Advisory: Advise management on legal, compliance, and regulatory developments.
Compliance Training: Hold periodic training for the business.
Compliance Culture: Promote and maintain a sound compliance culture within the group.

23. Head of Legal and Secretarial Essential Functions

Legal Strategy Advisory: Provide advice to senior management and business on legal strategy and risk issues associated with business operations, regulatory compliance, commercial transactions, and product review.
Risk Mitigation: Provide solutions and mitigation to risk issues, possible breaches, non-compliance, litigation matters, and recovery cases.
Legal Collaboration: Collaborate and support other stakeholders in providing general legal advisory services to protect the company's interests.
Legal Operations: Lead legal operation activities, including vetting, drafting, compiling, and ensuring timely execution, submission, and filing of all legal documents and agreements to relevant parties and authorities.
Board Coordination: Lead the process of taking meeting minutes, drafting resolutions, compiling and circulating board of directors, remuneration, and nomination papers to all members on time.
Regulatory Compliance: Monitor maintenance of all company statutory records and compliance with the latest company regulations.
Talent Management: Ensure attraction, motivation, development, and retention of employees across all levels for smooth daily operations while maintaining a high-performance culture.
Data Privacy Advisory: Analyse and advise on data protection and privacy matters, and draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements, including data sharing and data processing agreements.

24. Head of Legal Roles and Details

Legal Analysis: Provide timely legal and compliance analysis for various product lines and business development, and provide corresponding solutions.
Contract Negotiation: Handle various business-related contracts, participate in the negotiation and promotion of major projects.
Market Research Support: Participate in the research of target markets or regions and provide legal advice for business development.
Litigation Handling: Protect the company's rights and interests and handle all related lawsuits.
Regulatory Relations: Maintain and handle relations with various international regulatory agencies, keep abreast of policy changes, and make reasonable response plans.
Investment Support: Provide legal support for the company's related investment and financing projects.
Cross-Functional Support: Work closely with other areas of the business to identify opportunities to deliver corporate work and other legal advice.
Client Engagement: Build relationships quickly and deal with high-profile and well-known clients.

25. Head of Legal Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Documentation Management: Provide legal support for managing all company documentation, including customer contracts, supply chain agreements, franchise agreements, and company policies.
Board Advisory: Advise the board on key legal developments and potential risks impacting the industry and company.
Regulatory Liaison: Liaise with regulatory authorities.
Counsel Oversight: Manage external counsel for daily operations and specialist projects, ensuring adherence to the legal budget.
Team Strategy Development: Develop and deliver the legal team strategy in alignment with business goals to enhance compliance and minimize risk.
Board Participation: Attend monthly board meetings and serve as company secretary.
Litigation Management: Lead, manage, and oversee the company’s response to litigation, claims, and third-party activity, including developing and implementing case strategy and negotiating settlements.
Risk Strategy: Assess business risks and develop strategies to mitigate risks in the divisions through the development and implementation of business process improvements and assisting in the development and presentation of training on relevant laws and legal or business issues.

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