Deputy General Counsel - International Law Firm

Location

London

Michelle Corneby

Director

Deputy General Counsel – Global Law Firm

Our client is a truly global law firm with over 30 offices and 1200+ lawyers worldwide. It prides itself on “thinking differently” and provides market-leading legal solutions across international time zones via an integrated and collaborative workforce.

A law firm of this size and pedigree requires a first-class in-house legal, risk and compliance team and we are proud to be working with the Global General Counsel to secure a Deputy General Counsel for EMEA.

The role will oversee and manage the Firm’s legal, regulatory and risk teams and initiatives, establish and maintain its governance framework and work with the Global General Counsel to protect the Firm’s people, services, assets, and reputation in the region. The role will include, but not be limited to, business acceptance, claims management and insurance, commercial, and governance and regulatory. It will require managing a large team from analysts to Directors and working closely with the Firm’s senior management team and COLP.

The ideal candidate will have:

At least 15 years of experience as a legal and risk leader, either in a law firm or another leading professional services organisation.
Prior experience of managing or working at a senior level in an “office of general counsel”
A currrent practising certificate (solicitor) in England and Wales.

We are seeking an ambitious individual with a passion for delivering excellence. You should be able to demonstrate strong communication skills and be capable of influencing and motivating your peers and reports. You must be skilled at multi-tasking and able to work effectively in a busy and demanding environment with a drive to see results.

This is a truly incredible opportunity for a risk & compliance leader to step into a challenging and stimulating global role working alongside and world-class team for a premier legal firm.

This role is being handled exclusively by Cyan Partners and all applications will be directed to Chris Cayley and Michelle Corneby. For further information and to express your interest please apply or get in touch with at michelle@cyan.partners and chris@cyan.partners

Back to Roles Apply

Leading London Boutique

Chris and Michelle recently assisted us to recruit our new Head of Compliance. From the initial briefing meeting right through to offer, the process was handled with professionalism and integrity, they listened to what we wanted and they delivered. Both Chris and Michelle were an absolute pleasure to deal with throughout and I would definitely recommend them for any recruitment in this sector.

Luke Powell, Managing Partner, Macfarlanes LLP

I definitely felt like we’d come to the right person to work with throughout the process.

Lesley O'Leary, COO, Charles Russell Speechlys

We had a critical role to fill and Chris was our first port of call. He takes time to understand both the firm looking to hire and also the talent pool. He is considered, responsive, honest and has integrity in spades. His network is extensive and it is clear candidates respect him. Matching talent with the right opportunity for both parties is not easy and the personal and bespoke approach taken by Chris makes him and Cyan Partners stand out.

Director of Risk & Compliance, Leading International Firm

I thoroughly recommend Chris Cayley and Cyan Partners to professionals looking for their next move or businesses looking to recruit talent which is aligned with their strategy and values. Chris invests his time in understanding the role for which he is recruiting, but also looks to align the values and aspirations of the person and the business. I worked with Chris over a number of years and he brought me an opportunity which suited my own personal goals and ambitions, and meant I'd be working with people who valued my individual skills and nature.

General Counsel, Leading International Firm

I have valued Chris’ advice and investment in a long-term relationship with me as an individual. Chris has maintained contact over a number of years with valued feedback, discerning career progression advice and well targeted roles of potential interest. His stand-out quality of service, ethos and culture led me in turn to turn to him without hesitation when seeking a headhunter for senior roles in my own organisation, including within my own team. Highly recommended.

Head of Department - Tax

Sarah, is an extremely motivated and energetic consultant with first class people skills. She leaves no stone unturned in achieving the very best result. Given too her breadth and depth of knowledge Sarah is a consultant of first choice

Financial Services Partner

Sarah was fantastic in supporting me with my move from start to finish. At the outset Sarah really took the time to get to know me and set up interviews with the right fit firm. Sarah was very knowledgeable about the market, the firm's requirements and matching skills and personalities to the role. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Sarah. She was very supportive throughout the process, kept me regularly updated and was diligent in helping to prepare me for interviews. I would highly recommend Sarah!

Family Partner

I was working with several recruitment agents when I came across Sarah. She listened to my specific goals, aspirations, and focused her approach on what I wanted. Sarah was professional, accessible, and supportive in my relocation. She is experienced, friendly and down to earth. It is obvious to see how she has nurtured and maintained excellent relationships with many of the big players in the London law market.

Richard Given, 10x, General Counsel

I have known Chris for many years now and he has consistently provided me with excellent service and support. He has a deep understanding of the legal sector. He has a knack for identifying the right candidates for opportunities and the right opportunities for candidates. Chris is able to work across geographies and industries and recognises the importance of the long term in building people's careers and building relationships with employers.

Litigator - Boutique Firm

Sarah is a down-to-earth, approachable, responsive and highly intuitive person. She was fantastic in helping find the right firm and role for me; she spent considerable time speaking with me before my interviews, she provided excellent advice and gave me the confidence I needed to be successful. She was also brilliant at the negotiation stage, liaising sensitively and diplomatically with me and the firm to ensure that both sides got a deal we were happy with whilst also helping us build a positive relationship. All in all, I felt that she was on my side; she displayed a great deal of integrity, honesty and even-handedness throughout the process and was always very upfront and genuine with me the entire time, which I really appreciated. I would highly recommend going to Sarah for anyone looking to secure their next legal role

Commercial Partner

Chris is fantastic. He has a deep knowledge of the legal marketplace and is immensely well connected. However, over and above his deep sector knowledge and excellent skills as a recruiter, he is discreet, honest and a real trusted advisor. I recommend him without hesitation (and often do).

Property Partner

It was a pleasure working with Andrew Wintle. He guided me through the process of securing partnership at an outstanding firm. Andy matched me perfectly with the firm and was always on hand for a chat, pre interview. We also met a number of times as (quite rightly) he needed to know me, the candidate, in order to promote me. I couldn't recommend Andy highly enough to both firms and individuals alike.

Simon C, GC and Company Secretary

Michelle is one of those rare recruitment consultants who actually appreciate and listen to candidate’s needs. I was always informed where we were in the process, information and insight was appropriately shared and importantly if I called my calls were returned. Very few people share Michelle's understanding that candidates have needs in this process as much as employers and that today's candidate becomes tomorrow's employer. Personable, friendly and understanding. An excellent recruiter

Head of Resourcing

Andrew is well-connected in the legal recruitment market and I’ve known him for several years. He has an excellent grasp of the Partner landscape in London and takes time to understand his candidates and clients’ needs. He’s also a pleasure to deal with, and I continue to instruct him without hesitation.

Marta P. Senior in-house candidate, London

From my own experience I can say that Michelle Corneby is one the best headhunters in her field in London. Michelle is a great communicator, assertive and always focused on the opportunities. She can connect easily with people and make things happen in a positive and professional manner.

Head of Talent Acquisition, Leading International Firm

I have used Chris for multiple key senior legal roles in recent years. Chris really promotes a true partnership approach, taking time to understand the organisation, role and stakeholders involved. He is extremely thorough and maintains constant feedback throughout. With a thoughtful and pragmatic approach, Chris offers ideas and solutions to ensure the best shortlists, and produces insightful summaries that offer an honest comparison between candidates. I find Chris a delight to work with, have used him as a trusted sounding board on more than one occasion, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him to others looking for a professional legal recruitment partner.

Head of Department

Andrew invests the time to understand your business and the culture which is invaluable to helping find the best lateral hires. The results have been excellent.

Paul Gilbert, Director LBC Wise Counsel

I have worked in the legal profession for thirty-five years. Recruitment, retention and resource planning are vital to creating a sustainable team and this is the foundation on which everything is built. There are very few recruiters I have met who I would unconditionally recommend, but Chris Cayley is one. He is of course excellent at what he does, but what stands out, always, is how much he cares about his clients and candidates. His professionalism, care, judgement and integrity are outstanding .

Former in-house lawyer and Board Governance expert, London

Michelle is one of the best legal head-hunters I have come across. She is a lawyer herself, so she understands the challenges and demands in house lawyers face. Much more importantly, she gives clear career advice to lawyers at all stages of their careers making sure they make the right career moves. She also cares about the candidates she works with - a rarity these days.

Corporate Partner

Andy Wintle worked diligently on my behalf and I felt he really listened, and understood what would best suit me and my practice over the long term. We discussed and considered a number of options throughout the process and his feedback and pragmatic advice was very helpful and delivered in a constructive and professional way.

Managing Partner

We have worked with Sarah Coughtrie of Cyan Partners for the past couple of years and hope to continue our working relationship for many years to come. As a small to medium sized boutique law firm we recognise we do not have the prominence of some of the larger London law firms but know we have a lot to offer to the right candidate. We needed a recruitment specialist who recognised the benefits a boutique firm could offer employees and who bought into and engaged with our vision for the future. Sarah listened to our requirements, gave advice where needed and has worked tirelessly to introduce the right candidates. I would have no hesitation in recommending Sarah or Cyan Partners to anyone who is in need of a recruitment specialist.

Bianca D. Junior candidate, Bristol

Michelle is everything you could want if you are going through the recruitment process. She is knowledgeable, personable and goes above and beyond to ensure all parties involved find a mutually beneficial match. She took the time to listen to what I truly desired from a role before guiding me to my dream role. I am grateful that she not only placed me in my role but took the time to check in prior to make sure I was happy and settled. She was a true pleasure to work with.