General Counsel Interview Questions

The general counsel for your department or agency will interact with various attorneys, colleagues and occasionally the general public and is usually responsible for supervising a team of attorneys. Often, it is not the general counsel who is performing critical tasks but someone on their staff, so your general counsel’s leadership style will set the tone for the legal department and will affect the organization as a whole. While their legal skills may be indisputably top notch, you’ll also want to know how they approach their responsibilities to manage, supervise, lead and inspire attorneys working under their direction. What to look for in an answer:

• Concrete management philosophies
• Experience leading organizations and managing a team of attorneys
• Leadership abilities in addition to legal skills

A general counsel is the legal officer who is responsible for interfacing with the senior leadership of the company. Sometimes, this involves the task of informing the senior management that there is a problem or that unwelcome changes must be made. This is a difficult task that requires sensitivity, delicacy and excellent communication skills. Your candidate should have a strong ethical foundation and the ability to provide guidance when making difficult decisions and in times of conflict and challenges. This question reveals your candidate’s approach to challenging situations and is sufficiently open-ended to elicit a revealing response. What to look for in an answer:

• Diplomacy and tact in dealing with difficult situations
• Sensitivity to what may upset people and the ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to stand firm under pressure

General counsels have duties beyond that of normal lawyers. A general counsel cannot always conclude that a plan of action is legally permissible, and this involves having to say no to higher-ups, which is something that management may not want to hear. How a general counsel says no is every bit as important as their legal expertise and the quality of their advice. Management may want a general counsel who can help them get to a favorable answer by suggesting an alternative for them. Your candidate should have the integrity to maintain their expert stance without sacrificing professional working relationships, a high-level of industry-specific expertise and experience and the ability to communicate effectively and with tact. What to look for in an answer:

• The ability to balance corporate needs with the law
• Integrity to remain true to the law
• Ability to withstand pressure while maintaining collegial working relationships

Lawyers acting as general counsel have different philosophies about whether to keep work in-house or hire outside counsel. Sometimes, it is necessary to bring in an outside law firm to help, but it can also increase the budget costs since external counsel is usually expensive. This question will help you understand how your applicant decides when to have their own staff attorneys do the work versus hiring outside help and what criteria they use in selecting outside law firms to hire. Ensure that your candidate understands budgetary restrictions and has the adaptability to problem-solve within financial constraints. What to look for in an answer:

• Knowledge of and relationships with law firms in the area
• Experience working with outside counsel
• Sensitivity to legal budgets and limitations

A good general counsel is one who is ahead of the curve and plans for future challenges. This way, a company is not caught off-guard when there is an unexpected legal development. The candidate’s answer to this question will show whether or not they are proactive in thinking about future legal challenges that can impact your company. The depth of your candidate’s answer will reveal both their critical thinking skills and their familiarity with your industry-specific needs. What to look for in an answer:

• Well-informed about legal and regulatory developments
• Knowledge of how changes can impact business
• Forward thinking to handle challenges before they arise

The job of a general counsel is to help the company solve its legal challenges. This question can help interviewers assess candidates' problem-solving ability, level of experience and their industry-specific legal expertise. An experienced general counsel candidate should be able to resolve any legal matter facing their company. The candidate's answer should emphasize:

• Professional competence
• Strategic thinking
• Problem-solving skills