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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Martinus on February 13, 2013, 01:15:07 PM

Title: Difference between Head of Legal and General Counsel?
Post by: Martinus on February 13, 2013, 01:15:07 PM
A company has both. What's the difference?
Title: Re: Difference between Head of Legal and General Counsel?
Post by: Scipio on February 13, 2013, 01:21:48 PM
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.
Title: Re: Difference between Head of Legal and General Counsel?
Post by: crazy canuck on February 13, 2013, 02:20:49 PM
Quote from: Scipio on February 13, 2013, 01:21:48 PM
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.

Title: Re: Difference between Head of Legal and General Counsel?
Post by: Martinus on February 13, 2013, 04:20:49 PM
Thanks!
Title: Re: Difference between Head of Legal and General Counsel?
Post by: Caliga on February 13, 2013, 04:22:36 PM
Yep, our General Counsel is also our CAO.