Chief Legal Officer - CLO

Lawyers run the world. Even the ones who are chasing ambulances.

You can’t throw a rock in Washington, DC without hitting one in the head, having another 40 line up to defend the lawyer you struck, and then another five willing to defend your case for $350 per hour.

In the private sector, the most powerful corporate lawyers are known as Chief Legal Officers. These legal beagles are the top legal executives at a company and oversee a firm’s legal strategy. They stay up-to-date on public policy, direct legal “do’s and don’ts” to every division of the company, and ensure that the company isn’t taking any unnecessary legal risks.

Typically, the CLO will report to the CEO and oversee the company’s in-house legal team.

To get the gig, a person needs a degree from a reputable law school, significant experience in the legal field, and considerable knowledge of the industry in which the company works.