General Counsel, Group

Overview

This role is the organization’s senior legal officer for the Group, responsible for the legal architecture of the highest-value decisions, including governance, the US regulatory perimeter, entity structure, and capitalisation transactions. The position advises the Board and its committees, the CEO, the COO, and shareholders, and serves as Secretary of the Board and the Audit Committee. It also serves as the named Compliance Officer for the Americas.

Day-to-day business-unit legal work is handled by the Unit Legal Team. This role sets standards, templates, and risk thresholds for that team and is measured on risk outcomes aligned to business goals, transaction execution, preservation of the US adviser’s exempt status, and development of the legal team.

Responsibilities

• Own governance and board machinery, including:

  • Operating Agreement
  • Board and committee charters
  • Written consents
  • Officer appointments and ratifications
  • Reserved-matters analysis
  • Committee composition and terms
  • Minutes and records maintained to a standard that shortens future diligence

• Preserve the US adviser’s exempt reporting status as products evolve by clearing every new vehicle, managed-account concept, or structure against the US-adviser trigger list before offering to a counterparty.

• Own standing US regulatory obligations regardless of exemption, including:

  • Anti-fraud
  • Insider trading
  • Pay-to-play
  • Form ADV accuracy
  • Regulation D
  • Set sanctions-escalation triggers for commercial teams

• Serve as named Compliance Officer for the Americas by running the compliance program through internal resources and an outsourced provider, including filings, ADV updates, policies, and training.

  • Maintain a documented Audit Committee escalation line
  • Maintain an approved AML build plan

• Oversee US adviser fund offering and marketing materials, investor solicitation, and securities and fundraising matters through a defined red-flag review process with committed turnaround times.

• Maintain the legal operating system, including:

  • Precleared regulatory positions
  • Fund-marketing templates
  • An up-to-date trigger list
  • Same-day classification of unclear cases so unit counsel can act independently on all but red-flag matters

• Lead legal work on firm-level transactions, including acquisitions and consolidations, platform equity raises, and GP-stake and seeding structures—from structure design through diligence to close.

• Co-own, with the COO, analysis and recommendations on establishing a second adviser entity to spread regulatory risk and support managed-account capability.

• Design and execute the legal entity structure supporting firm business units, including transfer and allocation mechanics and transaction-driven structuring.

  • Maintain the firm’s legal risk register and thresholds

• Advise on executive compensation, equity issuances, partner agreements and separations, and review of success-linked compensation for fundraising-facing personnel.

• Manage group-level outside counsel as a portfolio, including:

  • Panel selection
  • Engagement discipline and approval thresholds
  • Reducing spend against baseline and eliminating duplicated review

• Lead and develop the legal team, delegating work previously done centrally and holding unit counsel to defined standards.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• JD or equivalent law degree; admitted and in good standing in at least one US state bar.
• 15+ years’ post-qualification experience combining a leading law firm’s investment management, funds or corporate practice with senior in-house experience at an investment adviser, asset manager, or venture capital / private equity firm.
• Deep working knowledge of the Investment Advisers Act (including exempt reporting and venture capital adviser exemptions), Investment Company Act exclusions, Regulation D, and Form ADV, pay-to-play and marketing rules.
• Experience as, or directly supporting, a Chief Compliance Officer, including running a compliance program with outsourced providers.
• Track record leading firm-level transactions (M&A, equity raises, GP-stake or seeding arrangements, entity restructurings) through to close.
• Experience serving as corporate or board secretary, with command of governance mechanics and committee processes.
• Proven ability to build legal operating systems (templates, precleared positions, escalation protocols) that let business teams move quickly within defined risk limits.
• Experience managing outside counsel with demonstrable cost and quality discipline, and leading and developing lawyers.
• Commercial judgment, discretion, and presence to act as a trusted adviser to the CEO, COO, and Board.
• Or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Range Details

• $250,000 - $350,000 USD yearly
• Pay range(s) are provided in compliance with state-specific laws. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.