Difference between Head of Legal and General Counsel?

[Martinus]

A company has both. What's the difference?

[Scipio]

Head of Legal is a manager of other attorneys, essentially; general counsel is the advisor to the Officers or Directors.  Head of Legal would assign tasks re: litigation, underwriting, and so forth.

EDIT:  The true answer is that this is governed by their relative contracts and articles of incorporation; however, if you have an inquiry, you can't go wrong directing it to the general counsel.

[crazy canuck]

Head of Legal is a manager of other attorneys, essentially; general counsel is the advisor to the Officers or Directors.  Head of Legal would assign tasks re: litigation, underwriting, and so forth.

EDIT:  The true answer is that this is governed by their relative contracts and articles of incorporation; however, if you have an inquiry, you can't go wrong directing it to the general counsel.

I would answer the same - particularly with the edit.  But generally Head of Legal would be an administrative position whereas General Counsel is usually a senior executive.

[Martinus]

Thanks!

[Caliga]

Yep, our General Counsel is also our CAO.